


when the ice melts in the snow (that's when you'll love me)

by lilithiumwords



Series: Melting Ice [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Succubi & Incubi, Bottom Katsuki Yuuri, Bottom Victor Nikiforov, Demisexual Character, Explicit Sexual Content, Ice Skating, Incubus Katsuki Yuuri, M/M, Mating, Romance, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Switching, Top Katsuki Yuuri, Top Victor Nikiforov, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2018-09-06 21:59:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 86,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8770939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithiumwords/pseuds/lilithiumwords
Summary: Katsuki Yuuri is the worst incubus in the Underworld. Viktor Nikiforov is his human target.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank S and B for cheering me on and giving me horrible, wonderful ideas for this AU. I have no idea where it came from but it's truly something else. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Check out my [tumblr](http://amberstarfight.tumblr.com) to cry about Yuuri and Viktor with me.

Katsuki Yuuri is the worst incubus in the Underworld.

If he isn't lagging at the bottom of his seduction quota every month, then he's wasting his hard-earned energy on pursuing completely wrong clients -- women who pat his cheek for his stuttering smile, men who roll their eyes at his attempted boldness, and far too many people who don't notice him at all. (Why does he always end up targeting asexuals? He should know better by now. They literally _don't see him._ )

Yuuri wouldn't know _eros_ if it tugged him into a dark corner and had its filthy way with him -- and it has, because Chris found him sulking about last week and decided they both needed to let off some steam.

When Yuuri shows up at work, taking the measly bag of glowing green and yellow crystals with a cringe, he notices that Chris has already picked up his own pay -- an entire chest full of a rainbow of crystals, the colors casting prismatic twinkles on his charming smile. The crystals are a conversion of the energy demons collect every month, and can be used to barter any number of goods and services in the Underworld.

"Yuuri!" Chris greets, winking at him as Yuuri hurriedly shoves his pathetically small bag in his pocket. "Payday is always the greatest, isn't it? Good chat we had last week, by the way." He leans in to slide his hand down Yuuri's hip, a fang catching the edge of Yuuri's pointed ear. "We'll have to do it again sometime. See you later, darling, the rankings are about to be announced. I'm certain I topped the list again." 

Chris is out the door before Yuuri can so much as squeak, and as he watches Chris walk away, Yuuri breathes out a frustrated sigh, looking down at his empty hands.

"Yuuri, join me for a moment."

Yuuri jumps and looks up with a gulp. Lilia Baranovskaya is standing in the doorway to her large, opulent office, her long frame draped with golden silk and glittering gems. The Prima of the _Mara_ , the demons of the Underworld who gather energy through sex -- though she prefers _Onee-san_ on most days -- and she wants to speak with him?

Yuuri is doomed.

"Yes, Lilia- _neesan,_ " Yuuri murmurs, following Lilia into the office. He takes a seat on the very edge of the single chair in front of the wide desk, folding his black wings carefully to avoid tearing the jacquard cushion, then clasps his hands in his lap and stares at them determinedly.

His nails are getting a bit long. Should he trim them? Some guys like it when he drags his nails down their backs, but most of them complain about the marks they'll have to hide. Women prefer him to have shorter nails, too, but Yuuri likes looking at them, likes the faintly red sheen in the black keratin.

He is definitely going to get fired. His numbers have been dropping for months, and though he's tried -- he just cannot imagine _eros_ as well everybody else in his clan. As Yuuri builds himself up, anxious mutterings turning over in his mind, he realizes he is working himself into a panic.

_Calm down. Calm down, me._

Yuuri jumps when the door closes at a wave of Lilia's hand. She doesn't sit, instead walking over to the wide window that overlooks a large courtyard full of _mara_ demons chatting as they wait for this month's numbers to be released. Everybody living in the _mara_ clans tends to gather on this day of the month to await the rankings; Lilia insists that the rankings invoke inclusiveness and healthy competition. 

Yuuri has always been last in the rankings. Every single month.

"Yuuri. You studied _eros_ , did you not?"

At the mention of his clan, one of the seven groups that nearly every succubus and incubus belongs to, Yuuri starts, hurriedly nodding. "Yes, Lilia- _neesan._ I also tested well for _philautia_ , but my great grandmother belonged to _eros_ , so they sent me there instead."

The clan of _eros_ had shaped his life from the time Yuuri had walked into the district. Every _mara_ was tested on how they responded to seven different elements: dominance, submission, sadism, masochism, sensuality, exhibition, and emotion. When tested for _eros_ , upon being asked if he could love his clients, Yuuri had burst into tears, overcome by the very idea. None of the other clans except _philautia_ , the clan of self-love, had even registered for him. His placement had been decided swiftly.

Each clan had their own beliefs and ideas on how _mara_ demons could take energy through pleasure. Yuuri takes it through passion and emotion; he is very selective of his clients and loves each of them in their own way. If his client feels passion for him, to the point of falling in love with him, then he can take even more energy. It need not be love, every time, but it is the emotional connection that sustains Yuuri. He always tries to make sure his clients are happy afterward, whether with a human lover, or with something to fill the void he leaves.

Yuuri has been told more than once that he gives his heart too freely, for a demon. 

"Yes, I remember now. You had excellent marks in your classes. Your teachers spoke highly of you."

Yuuri swallows, his throat tightening a little in shame. He had very high marks indeed. Theory, history, body movement -- he had excelled at all of them. In his few practical demonstrations, he had done well enough; all of his clients had been satisfied with him. Even though he belonged to the smallest of the clans, Yuuri had thought highly of himself. He had believed he would rise quickly in the rankings. He had thought he would be swimming in energy by now.

How wrong he was.

"Yes, Lilia- _neesan._ "

Lilia gives a sigh, crossing her arms. "Do you know why sex demons are born, Yuuri?"

Yuuri blinks and looks up at her, thrown by the question. His panic fades a bit, and perhaps that was Lilia's intention -- she is the best of the succubi, after all. "B-because humans need sex?"

Lilia turns to face him, throwing out a hand. "No! It is because humans _want_ sex. They _crave_ it. Some humans exist that do not, of course, and we leave those to other demons for temptation. Whatever their biological needs, it is true that a good portion of humans want to have sex, with no limits, no holds barred, in very specific ways. And what does sex create?"

This, Yuuri knows. "Energy, Lilia- _neesan._ "

"Yes. Energy, which keeps the denizens of this Underworld alive. That is why we exist, Yuuri. Where humans create an excess, so do we exist to feed off that excess. Such is the way of all demons, and succubi and incubi are no different." Lilia strides across the room to the desk and stops beside it, back straight, her stern gaze fixed on Yuuri. "I'm sure you are concerned about your numbers. You have been having trouble with your clients, haven't you?"

Yuuri's eyes fall back to his hands. He should cut his nails after all. "I haven't been doing well lately."

Lilia's voice gentles a bit. "And why is that, do you think?"

Yuuri closes his eyes. "Because I lack confidence."

"Yes. _Mara_ demonstrate, above all demons, _beauty._ We are a proud race, and demons from far and wide come to our doors to beg for a single touch from one of us. Humans melt in our hands. Yet you stop yourself, Yuuri, when you see that a client might not appreciate you, because you are not confident in yourself. Humans, just as demons, notice confidence. Confidence is sex. Confidence is _beauty._ "

Yuuri shrinks back, knowing that Lilia is correct. He has never been confident in himself, though. He was born to a simple family of water demons, yet unlike his sister and parents, he had been born with red eyes, black nails, and black wings, the marks of a _mara_ demon. His mother had been very proud; his great-grandmother had been a succubus, she had told him, and his father and sister were bewildered but supportive.

Upon turning eight, Yuuri had been whisked away to the clan halls, where he has lived for the majority of his life ever since, and he has always felt inferior. He studied hard, earning top grades in all of his lessons, yet somehow, he had lost a part of himself along the way. Maybe he never had it. He is excellent at the motions of sex -- not so much the seduction.

Compared to the other demons in their district of the Underworld, Yuuri is... somehow less. Less beautiful. Less impressive. Less enticing. Always less, less, less -- it is no wonder that Yuuri is terrible with his clients. Why he was born an incubus is anybody's guess.

"Your skills are at the top of your class," Lilia continues, glancing at a report on the desk. "Glowing remarks from all of your professors when you graduated and began harvesting. Yet you continue to turn in abysmal numbers, and do not think I have not noticed that you are not healthy." At last she sits at the desk, tapping long nails against the folder, her red eyes fixed on him. 

Yuuri finds himself unable to think of any response. He is not eating well, and prone to distraction, and unable to sleep. Such is the life for a demon who cannot gather enough energy for himself.

Lilia's next question is unexpected. "Yuuri, do you enjoy sex?"

Yuuri looks up and stares. He doesn't dare ask her to repeat herself, instead turning the question over, confused by the words. "I try to make sure my clients enjoy it," he answers, cautiously, and something in Lilia's face flickers.

"I see." She returns his stare evenly, drawing a slow circle on the desk, then nods. "You will no longer hunt on your own, nor will you be counted in the monthly rankings. Instead, you will take on specific clients that I personally assign to you. These clients are individuals, both human and demon, who have a high volume of sexual energy but have not responded to normal attempts by _mara_ to satisfy them. I will teach you what you need myself. You will report directly to me every month." She smiles, brief and sharp, and a shiver runs down Yuuri's spine. "I have confidence that you will handle these cases with the same expertise you displayed in your lessons. This is not a punishment, Yuuri. I believe you have a very specific _eros_ that can only be drawn out by the right clients. Will you agree?"

Yuuri stares at her, stunned silent by the proposal. He has heard of the scant few who report personally to Lilia Baranovskaya, and all of them are of the highest caliber of the whole population of sex demons. To receive personal lessons from her is the highest honor. He can't believe it.

If Yuuri can find his _eros_ , then nothing will be able to stop him.

"Yes," Yuuri says before his brain catches up with his mouth, and he startles, wings flaring instinctively. He flushes and looks down, then back up again, meeting Lilia's gaze firmly. "I will."

"Very good," Lilia approves, her blood-red lips curling. "Then I will give you your first assignation." 

Yuuri nods, thinking a bit longingly of what it might be like if he had joined a family in an apprenticeship instead of a clan. Far less formal and rigid in structure, to be sure. Not that he is ungrateful for his clan, but sometimes the competitiveness wears on him.

Shaking his head, the remnants of his panic hasten to the front of his mind, and he clenches his hands over his knees as he tries to believe in Lilia's words. It is difficult, though. It feels like he is being set up for failure.

"What if I can't do it?" Yuuri asks before he thinks to stop himself, then holds his breath.

Lilia watches him for a long moment. "Then we will try a different client for you. I will not let you suffer, Yuuri. With the low amount of energy you turn in every month, I worry that you will not get enough for good health. If, after training and exploring different types of clients, you still cannot meet your own needs, then we will look at other avenues. A hunting partner, or perhaps a mate if your interests lie that way. Maybe training in a specific sexual activity that humans enjoy. Whatever you need, Yuuri. I am here to help you, to give you back your confidence, and to help you be beautiful. Will you agree?"

Yuuri stares at her, his panic ebbing away with the realization that Lilia will not let him suffer, nor will she abandon him if he does fail. His lips turn up in a small smile, his bright red eyes swimming for a moment. "Thank you, Lilia- _neesan."_

~*~

"I'm doomed," Yuuri moans into his arms, slumped against the table. Beside him he hears the faint _click_ of a phone button, and he groans again, knowing that Phichit has just taken a picture of him. "Phichit-kun, this is no time to post to Instagram. Why do we even have Instagram, anyway? Isn't it a human invention?"

"Maybe, but it's the best thing to happen to the Underworld since the internet," Phichit beams, snapping another picture of Yuuri, who mutters something rude under his breath. Phichit, the most cheerful _yakṣa_ Yuuri has ever met, only laughs.

"Aren't you happy you get to have as much sex as you want without worrying about rankings?" Phichit asks slyly, making Yuuri rear up with a vivid blush, mortified.

"Phichit-kun!" He looks around wildly to make sure no one has heard, but not a single person is paying attention to their small corner of the restaurant. Abnormal, for him, though Yuuri has made sure to douse himself in concealing oils to hide his incubus scent. The last thing he needs is a lusty demon following him home. He slumps back, staring at the ceiling in dismay. "I really am doomed. I'm sure Chris heard that I got called into Lilia- _neesan_ 's office, so everybody knows by now," he sighs. 

Across the table, Phichit grins, dragging a piece of food off a thin stick with his teeth. "Ignore Chris. Chris doesn't have his claws in everybody, not for lack of trying. He's trying right now," Phichit remarks offhandedly, and Yuuri jolts upright, following the pointing stick to one of the balconies that overlooks the restaurant, where a tall demon is standing with Chris, smiling as the incubus leans into him flirtatiously.

Yuuri frowns a little, watching them for a long moment. Chris has turned on all of his charms and is nearly oozing with sex appeal; he can smell it now, weaving through the building, beginning to draw attention. _Sloppy,_ he thinks, but then Chris can defend himself if molested, and often welcomes the attention.

His gaze shifts to the ice demon, almost unwillingly. He stands tall and collected, an ease to his posture that few can imitate, long silver hair falling down his back attractively, like a fountain of ice. He wears a glittering cloak flung over one shoulder, white pants and jacket beneath, with the insignia of one of the upper families -- Yuuri can't recognize which one, but he suspects it is far out of his league. Yuuri sighs to himself, briefly caught by the demon's piercing blue eyes, before he notices something.

The demon's mouth is smiling, but his eyes are not. His posture is relaxed, but not intent. Every so often he brushes off Chris' touch, as if batting away a persistent breeze. He has zero interest in Chris' attentions.

Yuuri sits up a bit, looking more closely. Chris' pheromones are rather strong now, yet the other demon shows no signs of noticing, and in fact -- he flicks something off his shirt, and a brief cold spell sends a shiver through Yuuri. A moment later, Chris' scent is gone. Nobody else seems to have noticed -- but then few others have noses that match a _mara_ demon.

"Good to see you, Chris," the demon says with a smile, patting Chris on the shoulder and leaving him blinking, stunned, as he descends from the balcony.

Yuuri is no less surprised. _Chris got rejected._ He lowers his gaze, a small smile touching his lips. He doesn't dislike Chris, but it gets a little tedious to be at the bottom of the rankings, to the point that Chris seems to take it for granted that Yuuri would want to have sex with him whenever Chris asks. He never does, really -- but he has never turned down someone who wanted sex with him, either, and Chris does seem to enjoy him. It's a little funny that Chris would fail to seduce someone so beautiful.

He wonders what sex with that ice demon would be like.

"Careful, Yuuri, your oils are starting to wear off," Phichit says in an undertone, and Yuuri inhales softly and reigns his scent in. He glances up warily, but the attention that was turning toward him is already drifting away, the other patrons focusing again on their meals. Up on the balcony, Chris has turned his seduction on a tall, dark-haired demon that Yuuri knows by sight but not by name -- likely to make up for his rejection.

Yuuri feels eyes on him and turns. A shock runs up his spine.

The ice demon is staring at him. His interest scorches Yuuri's control and leaves him stiff and flushed. He wets his lips nervously, and the other demon's gaze sharpens, before something outside catches his attention. He gives Yuuri one more considering look before leaving the building, and Yuuri breathes out, a little shakily.

He knows that look. He was raised to recognize it.

_Attraction._

Yuuri has never sought intimacy with other demons. Sometimes he will give in to the occasional fumble with another demon when he is desperately weak, and only when they ask first -- but otherwise, he ignores the attentions of other demons, because he already has so little energy from his hunting that he cannot afford to spend it on lovers. Some say that Yuuri, as an _eros_ _mara_ was made to have a demonic lover, even a mate if he were to seek one out, but Yuuri has always shied away from any sort of bonding. He ignores the small urge to go after the demon and turns back to Phichit, shaking his head. "I wonder who that was," he murmurs, picking up his drink and swirling the liquid inside. 

Phichit raises an eyebrow at him. "Oh, is our Yuuri actually interested in somebody? That's unlike you! Was it that handsome guy that just left? I don't know his name, but I can find out for you," he sings, waving his phone, and Yuuri rolls his eyes, a blush lighting up his cheeks.

Some incubus he is, afraid to go after a potential lover.

"N-no, that's alright. I just never thought I'd see Chris strike out."

Phichit hums, picking up his glass and sipping thoughtfully, blowing out a small, glittering cloud. "Chris might be popular, but he's not everybody's type. You're definitely someone's type, Yuuri, a very specific type, and I'm happy for you. This is a new start! A toast, to Yuuri's sex life!"

Yuuri groans and hides his face in his arms again, remembering his meeting. "I'm _doomed._ " Phichit just laughs.

~*~

Yuuri's first assignation goes very well. A young human by the name of Minami Kenjirou, who adores Yuuri at first sight and develops a fast bond with his human persona, a graduate assistant working at the same college Minami attends in Fukuoka. The enthusiasm that Minami brings to their relationship surprises Yuuri, and he wonders how anybody could fail to seduce the eager human.

Watching Minami with other humans answers that question. The young man is too eager; most demons would tire of his fannish tendencies quickly. Yuuri chooses to be patient, and he is rewarded by near-stalkerish adoration from the young human. 

As it so happens, Minami rather likes figure skating. Yuuri wants to impress him, so he decides to learn the strange human sport. Thankfully he can absorb most of the knowledge, if he can get his hands on an actual figure skater; it will be another matter entirely to ice skate himself. 

Well, there is always a first time. Yuuri is very good at learning new moves.

Yuuri dutifully goes to one of the human ice rinks one night to watch. Minami is skating, though Yuuri doesn't call attention to himself, simply observing for today. He has a spell up to keep Minami from seeing him, anyway. 

A bit of conversation catches his ear. The group in front of him is talking about how they would love to imitate a famous ice skater's skating program. Skaters, then. Carefully, Yuuri touches each one of them, absorbing as much knowledge about ice skating as he can -- the different jumps and positions, the various competitions, even the effects on the human body. His head swimming, he settles back in his seat to wait, thinking of the glamorous, glittering costumes that the group in front of him liked to see in competitions.

Many of them rather revealing, erotic even. How interesting. He wonders if any _mara_ have ever used ice skating to seduce humans before.

Yuuri waits until Minami leaves, as already the young human has a finely honed radar when it comes to Yuuri and the public arena, then goes to rent some skates. His first time on the ice is so embarrassing that Yuuri immediately abandons the ice rink and goes down to Hasetsu to hide in his family's Overworld inn for the night. The hot spring does wonders for his body, even gives him a little energy boost, so Yuuri forces himself to go back, when no humans will be around, to try again.

He does better the second time.

When Minami finds out, he kisses Yuuri in his excitement, and Yuuri basks in the happiness bubbling up in the human as he wraps his arms around Minami. This is what he lives for -- making his clients happy. The sex that follows is more than enough to last him through the rest of the month, but Yuuri doesn't end the relationship abruptly. He likes Minami, so when Lilia gives him his next assignation, he searches for another human to match him, who will be patient and supportive enough for Minami's desires, and leaves them to it.

Whenever he checks back, Minami looks happy. That is all Yuuri can hope for.

Yuuri fails his second assignation. Seung-gil Lee has no intention of ever having sex with anybody, and the fact that someone thought he was anything other than asexual is frankly a little ridiculous.

His third assignation takes several months. It is the first long-term assignation Yuuri has ever taken, and he is nervous, but in the end it is just as rewarding as Minami. Twin siblings are the target: the sister aches to have a real relationship, and the brother is determined to protect his sister from any suitors. The dance is delicate, every movement choreographed to exact detail, but in the end, Yuuri succeeds where no other _mara_ has. Michele learns that sex is not something to be feared, and Sara is thus freed to have sex with whomever she wants, including Yuuri, several times, and very passionately. Yuuri leaves the twins with a fond heart.

Every assignation gives him a little more confidence, but every one of his successes seems incidental. Each of his lovers seems ready for a new step in their life, and Yuuri is the impetus that breathes resolution into life. Minami had needed someone who would inspire him. Sara and Michele had needed a reason to separate and pursue their own desires. His assignations follow the same routine: meet, change, seduce, go home. The sex is good, and the bonds Yuuri creates with each of his lovers is satisfactory, but at the end of each month, Yuuri still finds himself lacking.

Whatever his _eros_ is, Yuuri can't find it in these humans. He isn't seducing them so much as arranging himself into a pivot for his lovers to turn their lives around. He isn't _feeling it_.

Yuuri's fourth assignation is someone else entirely, and he changes everything.

~*~

Lilia is very pleased with Yuuri's assignations so far. His monthly meeting with her is nearly at an end, and already Yuuri is thinking of the hot springs at his parents' inn, of falling asleep with a full belly.

Lilia has other plans for him, though. She lifts a hand, a glass device appearing from nothing and settling on her palm. A small amount of glowing red liquid rests at the bottom, sending up tiny bursts of light. It is an energy observer, one that Yuuri has seen several times before. Their race uses it to measure the energy they collect every month. Currently it is a third full, the most Yuuri has collected in over a year. 

"This is very good, Yuuri. I believe it is time for something a bit more challenging." The words strike fear into Yuuri's heart. Ignoring his sudden agitation, Lilia leaves the observer to float in the air and opens a folder, holding out it out to Yuuri, who accepts it with hesitance, looking down at the picture inside.

An attractive male human with silvery blond hair and piercing blue eyes smiles charmingly at Yuuri, who would know him anywhere. Most of the Underworld does, at this point -- he is a celebrity across both realms.

He inhales sharply. "Viktor Nikiforov?"

"Indeed. He is famous amongst your peers, is he not? The human with a great well of sexual energy that has resisted all demons of all creeds sent to tempt him. I have the feeling that his tastes run a bit more particular than most humans. I want you to seduce him. Tap into that energy. Gather enough energy to fill this." Lilia motions to the energy observer.

Yuuri blanches. He rarely fills his observer with more than a third of energy every month -- how can he completely fill it with one client? Not to mention Viktor Nikiforov, the most sought after human in the Overworld, and the Underworld, if his peers are to be believed. He himself has never seen the human in person, but he has heard stories. "Lilia- _neesan_ , I mean no disrespect, but I... I don't think I can do that. Not in a month." _Maybe not ever!_

Lilia's lips curve again. "For now, do not worry about meeting a monthly quota. Consider this assignation to have no deadline. This one will be tricky, but I believe you can do this."

Yuuri looks back at the picture, dreading this assignation more than any other he has been given thus far. Phichit is going to have a field day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> changed the title just slightly. minor edits in chapter 1. :D enjoy!!!

Viktor Nikiforov is as attractive in person as he is in his picture. Yuuri sighs, shifting a little as he sits near the back of a stadium, watching Viktor skate across a wide expanse of ice while waving to his cheering fans. According to the file, Viktor is a figure skating coach and ice dancer in the human nation of Russia, with a prolific history of figure skating and Olympic competitions.

Yuuri rubs at his rounded ear as he watches Viktor skate. He has assumed the form of a young Japanese man, finding that the closest match to his Underworld form typically works best for him. The disguise is one he has used before, familiar and comfortable, but he never truly enjoys wearing human forms. His wings always itch to be free.

A few touches to the people around him in the crowd teach him some semblance of Russian. A few more, and Yuuri learns Viktor's celebrity profile: young, single, likes poodles, and posts often to social media. This is Viktor's home rink, where he trains and teaches alike, and according to his fans, he skates openly for anyone to watch on his downtime. He is adored by the world, and he has been seen in the arms of countless models, actors and actresses, and beautiful people with similarly high profiles. A modern playboy, and one that everyone admires. The knowledge absorption leaves Yuuri a little dizzy for a moment, before he breathes out and looks at Viktor again.

Through the darkness and across the ice, their eyes meet.

Yuuri blinks, briefly frozen, a chill running up his spine. Viktor is smiling, but his eyes are ice cold, enough to make Yuuri shiver. Yuuri shakes himself, and Viktor's gaze moves on, leaving him bereft, but a little warmer.

 _Passing strange,_ Yuuri wonders, as Viktor skates off the ice and the crowd begins to disperse, chatting in fascination over Viktor's exhibition. Yuuri has no intention of approaching Viktor now; he hardly knows him, doesn't even know how to approach him, and will have to arrange a persona to meet him with. Likely an ice skater searching for a new coach, or maybe a fellow ice dancer. He's been practicing on and off between assignations, building his human persona's skating abilities as a hobby, but he is by no means an expert.

If he uses a bit of magic, Yuuri can avoid notice for hours, long enough to observe the flow of people through the ice rink. After the spell is cast, Yuuri waits silently as the people around him empty the stands, ignored and forgotten. He watches someone take a machine onto the ice, leaving it gleaming, and he breathes in the scent of fresh water. Ah, the water will freeze due to the low temperature of the room, and the ice will be left smooth and clean. How interesting the inventions of humans can be; barring Instagram, of course, but Yuuri is more irritated that Phichit will not stop snapping pictures of him than with the actual technology.

When the majority of the crowd has dispersed and people begin skating on the ice again, Yuuri rises from his chair and heads to the lobby to borrow a pair of skates. Even after months, he still isn't used to wearing them. They fit well enough, but they still feel odd, due to the blades that separate him from the ground. He thinks about the fact that people like Viktor Nikiforov have worn them constantly, just like another pair of shoes, and ignores the strangeness.

With a small sigh, Yuuri stands and makes his way to the rink, a little awkward as he grows used to walking in the skates. The rink is nearly empty when he steps onto the ice. As Yuuri grew up with strict instructors on dance, grace, and poise, he only falls into the movements as if he were trying a new dance. He closes his eyes and embraces the sensation of air brushing past his face. When he slips a bit, or when his skates catch on the ice in a new and unfamiliar way, Yuuri never garners notice. His magic is still holding true, so nobody else pays attention to him at all. 

After a little while, Yuuri decides to try out one of the movements that Minami always admired. When he first tried skating backwards, the attempt daunted him, but now Yuuri is graceful about it, turning easily on his skates. He calls the human memories to the front of his mind and pushes his foot, until he is skating backward.

Yuuri laughs, thinking this is better than any human activity that he has ever encountered. He turns one foot before the other and pushes, then again with the second, propelling him further backward. The air whooshes past him, and Yuuri closes his eyes, spreading his arms as he glides. After a moment, he turns his body and pulls up his free leg, dropping into a camel spin with his hands behind his back.

It's like flying.

Every time, he falls in love with skating. If only he could draw energy from skating instead of sex...

Soon nobody else is on the ice. Yuuri skates to the center of the room and stands still, bowing his head. In his mind he pictures Viktor Nikiforov's smile and the piece he skated tonight, _Stay Close to Me._ Then Yuuri begins to skate.

He doesn't need the music. He doesn't need to skate perfectly. Nobody is watching, after all, not when he reaches out to the darkness as Viktor did, seeking the solace of a lover. Viktor had skated this song in a few of his final competitions, as Minami had introduced to him, and Yuuri has always liked it, for the emotions it carries. Whenever he is in the Overworld, he ends up watching the videos of the routine until he feels the urge to skate. It reminds him of the _eros_ he cannot attain.

When the song in his head ends, Yuuri stands still upon the ice once more, his eyes closed as he breathes. 

He wishes he had known of skating before he met Minami, because he loves it. What would it be like to skate in his true form? He wonders if there are skating rinks in the Underworld; he has never ventured into the wintry realms there.

Eventually a voice announces over the intercom that the rink will be closing soon. Yuuri reluctantly leaves the ice rink behind to let the humans run their machine over it again, brushing his messy hair out of his face, and goes to sit in the stands again, skates still on his feet. The human at the front desk won't notice, and the cameras won't catch him if he chooses to remain. He'd like to practice some more once the humans are gone for the night.

"The rink is closing soon," says a deep voice beside Yuuri, and he jumps, a shriek caught in his throat. Whirling around, Yuuri finds none other than Viktor Nikiforov standing at the end of his row of seats, changed into casual clothes from his glittering costume on the ice, a bag slung over one shoulder.

Yuuri stares, forgetting himself; how the hell had Viktor noticed him? How long has he been there? He should be invisible to humans right now! Surreptitiously, Yuuri checks the magic spell and frowns to see that it has faded. Perhaps he had not put enough power into it -- he is low on energy, but that shouldn't have mattered...

Why is Viktor even here still?

Belatedly Yuuri realizes he should respond. "I was just watching the, um..." He gestures toward the ice rink, fumbling his Russian a bit, and Viktor's smile widens slightly.

"The resurfacer? It is an interesting machine. If you don't leave soon, though, you'll get locked in," Viktor says, gesturing toward the doors, and Yuuri hesitates before standing.

"I'm sorry," he says when he reaches the end of the row, stopping beside Viktor, who watches him evenly. Something in his gaze catches Yuuri and holds him still; he doesn't dare breathe. It is as if Viktor is judging him. Yuuri bites his lip, before nodding toward the exit. "I'll just go, then... sorry to bother you."

Viktor says nothing, so Yuuri creeps away, his heart thudding in his ears. After a moment he hears footsteps behind him, and he glances back to see Viktor following him. Viktor flashes a smile at him, but Yuuri can't find it in him to smile back. He stays quiet as he finds a bench and begins to untie his skates, his face flushed uncomfortably. Viktor lingers at the counter, chatting with the human there, until Yuuri carries the skates over to return. Then Viktor falls quiet, his gaze fastened to Yuuri.

"Did you watch the show earlier?" Viktor asks after a moment, and Yuuri glances up at him, then away.

"I did... it was very good. I thought it was very pretty." His response seems to satisfy Viktor, whose smile widens.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are you thinking of joining the rink? Your Russian is very good. Are you in the city for work? Play? Romance, perhaps?"

Yuuri blushes a little to hear the suggestion in Viktor's tone, then furiously berates himself. He is an _incubus_ , for crying out loud! He was raised to have sex! He shouldn't be getting flustered over a little flirtation from a human!

"Nothing like that," he mutters, more than ready to escape Viktor's keen, curious gaze, and turns to leave. Viktor follows him, and as they cross the lobby, the bright human lights illuminate Viktor's handsome features. A shiver runs through Yuuri.

He cannot do this. There is no way he can seduce this man -- Viktor will see through his lies. No wonder none of the succubi or incubi could tempt him. And Lilia thought that _Yuuri_ could?

The energy in Viktor is teeming, though, churning furiously beneath his skin like a blizzard building itself up to be unleashed. Yuuri's gaze narrows a little as he watches Viktor out of the corner of his eye. Many demons have speculated that the clans are mistaken, that Viktor is asexual as many other humans are, but Yuuri knows better. He can _smell it_ , the underlying energy, the distinctly sexual tone to it. Viktor is used to seducing others, and he carries himself in a seductive way. A modern playboy, who seems to see through every demonic disguise, and whom has never been tempted by a demon.

Yuuri sighs a little, looking away. What chance does he have? He is the dead-last of incubi. There is no way that Viktor would be interested in him, and Yuuri hasn't spotted any of the normal signs that Viktor is attracted to him.

Well, he does have one trick up his sleeve. It might even work. If it doesn't, then Yuuri will go home, apologize to Lilia, and enter the courting rituals to find a mate. At this point, it is the last option he has.

He has nothing to lose.

Yuuri hesitates near the door, as if noticing the falling snow outside. Viktor stops beside him, and Yuuri looks up, gently unraveling the tight coils of his scent, allowing his pheromones to surround him. The setting is perfect; the glow of the street lights up his face, and if Viktor were to see past his glamour, he would see the glint of red in Yuuri's eyes. Viktor stills and slowly turns toward him, and Yuuri waits, allowing the illusion to deepen, then casts him a small smile before walking through the doors.

He makes it five steps.

"Wait," Viktor calls, striding to catch up with him, and Yuuri turns, actually shocked. It had _worked_? Viktor seems to struggle with himself, before putting on a charming smile and holding out his hand. "Since you're new to the city, would you like a little tour? I know a lovely restaurant nearby that is very good. Very cozy." His smile widens as he puts his hand on his hip, his eyes following Yuuri a little hungrily. "My name is Viktor. Viktor Nikiforov."

Here is his chance. Does Yuuri dare? Will he actually succeed where no other sex demon has before? He wets his lips without thinking, and inhales softly to see Viktor's attention drop to his mouth. He shivers a little, then nods and reaches out to shake Viktor's hand. When they touch, a sharp jolt runs through him, and the flash echoes in Viktor's face.

Yuuri cannot help but think about his fear of rejection, of his desperately low energy stores, of the fact that he doesn't even want to be here, that he has no other choice. To look upon Viktor, the epitome of human beauty, and think of all the other _mara_ demons who have tried to seduce him and failed, it leaves Yuuri nervous, uncomfortable. He doesn't have a chance. Can someone like Viktor Nikiforov even develop an emotional attachment to him? Or would he be another conquest?

If he is to seduce Viktor and take him as a client, as a lover, then he wants Viktor to see him as himself. He wants to know Viktor, not the hero or the playboy or the celebrity. Just Viktor.

Can Viktor even open himself a little bit to meet Yuuri?

For a moment Yuuri sees the long string of lovers Viktor has left behind, ones he enjoyed sexually, but none that he truly cared for. He sees the blatant sexuality of a human who does not allow himself emotional attachments. He sees a human who would do well as an incubus, actually -- but not a human who can satisfy Yuuri. His heart sinks.

These thoughts Yuuri reads in a moment, and then suddenly he cannot read Viktor at all. It is as if Viktor has put up a shield around his heart and mind, protecting him from any demon that wishes to hear his thoughts, his desires.

No wonder nobody can tap into his energy, if his natural shields are this good.

Yuuri takes a deep breath. He should be polite, at least, even if he cannot have Viktor the way he needs... and a date wouldn't be so bad. "O-okay. My name is Yuuri... Katsuki Yuuri." Viktor's smile widens slowly. His blue gaze is fixed on Yuuri's face, thoughts unknown passing before Yuuri can identify the scraps of emotion, which leaves him a little nervous. His best conquests have occurred because Yuuri can read his clients so well. It is... disconcerting, to be unable to sense Viktor's thoughts.

"It's nice to meet you, Yuuri. I hope to get to know you better," Viktor says, his voice dropping into a purr, and he lifts Yuuri's hand to kiss the back of it. Taken aback, Yuuri lets out a noise that he is rather embarrassed by, flushing brilliantly beneath his scarf. He is an _incubus_! This is a mere human! How is _he_ the one being seduced?! It would be one thing, if he were acting the part of the blushing, innocent virgin -- but he isn't! Every reaction he has to Viktor is genuine!

"Thank you," Yuuri stutters, just barely keeping himself from snatching his hand back. Viktor winks at him and begins walking along the snowy street, keeping a gentle grip on Yuuri's hand, who is too flustered to take it away. 

The restaurant is just as delicious and cozy as Viktor said, though the food does nothing to satisfy Yuuri's appetite. He needs _more_ , and he is stuck thinking about the shine on Viktor's lips, about the grace in his fingers, about the strength in his shoulders, and he is miserable. Just his luck, he is attracted to this human, enough that he _wants_ to seduce him. Viktor doesn't seem to notice, for all that his attention is fastened to Yuuri.

"I want to get to know you better, Yuuri," Viktor murmurs, his charming smile widening. "Do you have a lover right now?"

Yuuri fumbles with his water at the question, staring wide-eyed at Viktor. "Um, n-no."

Viktor looks rather pleased with that. "What are your past lovers like?"

 _Oh boy._ The past client list of an incubus? They'd be here till midnight. (A normal _mara_ would be here all week. Yuuri knows his history of clients is very short. Never mind that he just doesn't have lovers... well, other than Chris, but Yuuri doesn't count him.) "No comment."

"Hm... let's talk about me, then! My first lover --"

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Viktor pouts as Yuuri holds up his hand, a little frantic to avoid this conversation. He certainly doesn't want to hear about the long list of broken hearts Viktor Nikiforov has left behind him. The server approaches then with their meals, and Viktor delightedly begins eating, with a fervent _delicious!_ in Russian.

As he pushes the food around on his plate, Yuuri glances up at Viktor through the glasses his human form wears. Here he is, top of his class, with no small collection of sexual conquests under his belt, and he has no idea how to seduce this man. Viktor, for some reason or another, seems perfectly content being the seducer, and Yuuri has no idea how to respond to it. He doesn't know how to put on an air around this person. Magic seems to dissipate around Viktor, his demonic abilities don't affect him, and his pheromones only work so far.

"You don't like it?"

Yuuri starts, following Viktor's gaze to his plate. "Oh, I guess I'm not really hungry. I'm sorry." He sighs a little, thinking longingly of his youth, when he had not yet matured enough to need to gather energy for himself. The energy of the Underworld is enough for nearly all children born there, and Yuuri had been no different. His health has been on the decline ever since he began hunting, and he knows it is only a matter of time before he needs to seek help.

Viktor frowns a little, perhaps reading the melancholy in his expression, and Yuuri forces a small smile. "I just haven't had a satisfying meal in a long time. Nothing is really... to my taste," he finishes, knowing the words could be taken the wrong way, and half hoping that they will.

Viktor watches him a long moment, considering Yuuri's words. "A drink then, at least. You only have water right now, and some good Russian vodka will fill you right up." He smiles and gracefully stands from his chair, leaning down to murmur into Yuuri's ear, one hand dropping to Yuuri's to stroke one finger down Yuuri's pinky, teasing. "I don't want you to leave me tonight unsatisfied."

Then he is gone, and Yuuri is left with a vivid flush, a frantically beating heart, and no idea how he is going to deal with this human.

He really is the worst incubus ever, to be so overwhelmed by a mere human!

A few minutes later, Viktor returns with two beautiful, twisting glasses filled with ice and sparkling liquid the color of pale gold. He sets one in front of Yuuri as he sits down again, his smile widening, reaching out to take Yuuri's hand again. "This is a Tolstoy Tang. Simple yet elegant, sweet yet tart. For you, Yuuri."

Yuuri takes the frosted glass, peering down at it in confusion, unsure how a cocktail might do anything for him. Human cocktails have nothing on demon cocktails, anyway. 

He eyes Viktor again, charmed despite his misgivings. Even if Viktor doesn't develop any feelings strong enough to feed him, he suspects the sex would be very, very good. He is sorely tempted... and maybe his own attachment would be enough for a satisfying night. Somehow, Viktor has gotten under his skin, into his heart, and Yuuri can't help but respond to it.

Something in Viktor's expression flickers, one finger sliding beneath Yuuri's wrist and resting atop his stuttering pulse. Then he smiles. "To the last drop," Viktor toasts before taking a drink, his gaze staying fixed on Yuuri.

Yuuri eyes him, a little bewildered, and a little amused besides. "To the last drop," he repeats dutifully, then sips the drink.

A cool, refreshing chill runs through his entire body. Amazingly, it invigorates him a little, the lemony tartness paired with simple sweetness light on his tongue. Yuuri closes his eyes as he tastes energy for the first time in over a week, and he takes another long drink, gasping a little as he seems to gain even more energy from the drink.

_How?_

Yuuri's primary way of getting energy is through sex. It is almost impossible for him to get energy through other means in the Overworld. In the Underworld, he could go to restaurants that sell food and drinks infused with energy, and it is costly, but sometimes Yuuri has no choice. He has a minor ability to draw energy from purified water in both worlds, such as wells deep in the mountains and at the bottom of rivers, where it has been untouched for centuries, but that is merely a side effect of being born to water demons. He rarely takes advantage of it, because the energy he receives from water can't even compare to what he gets from sex.

His eyes fly open, fixing on Viktor's satisfied gaze. His drink is giving him energy in a demonic way -- in a magical way. Could Viktor know magic? He had not prepared the drink, though. Perhaps he knew a human mage -- someone who has studied demonic arts. Perhaps Viktor himself is a human mage... or perhaps even a cambion, a child of a human and a demon.

A small rush of fear shivers through Yuuri, and he drops his stare to his plate. Mages and cambions are dangerous, because they have the ability to tap into a demon's power and control them, or steal all of their energy, or even kill them. Yet Viktor has been the target of countless demons, and not once has he stolen any of their energy, nor used them to nefarious purpose... Viktor would have been killed long ago if he was dangerous in any way.

If Viktor is descended from a demon, that would explain his resistance to both magic and Yuuri reading him through touch. 

He breathes out a little, focusing on the drink again, rolling the light, crisp flavor over his tongue, the energy nearly sizzling beneath the taste. The human alcohol is interesting; he has partaken in it before as part of his seductions, but seldom has he enjoyed it. Perhaps the alcohol was made with very pure water, and that is the reason he can draw energy from it. It seems more likely than Viktor knowing magic, anyway. Yuuri hasn't sensed him casting anything.

"It's lovely," he says after a moment, lifting his gaze and smiling at Viktor, letting the alcohol flush his human skin. Viktor returns the smile with genuine delight, and the last of Yuuri's fear fades away. He still can't tell what Viktor is thinking, but he doesn't sense anything _dangerous_ from him.

Just... strange.

Before Yuuri realizes it, he has drunk the entire glass, becoming a little dizzy from the energy high. That drink had been more filling than some of his conquests! "This was made with vodka, you said? Is it, ah, made locally?"

Viktor's eyes crinkle a little. "I'm glad you liked it. I believe they use a local company, yes. Would you like another? Food always tastes better with alcohol, in my opinion."

Yuuri hesitates. He really shouldn't... but he _is_ low on energy. If he strikes out with Viktor, at least he can have this. "Yes, please."

Two hours later, Yuuri is still sitting at the table with Viktor, though now their dinner plates have been cleared away, along with a large collection of glasses. All that is left is one glass for each of them, a mostly empty plate sitting between them, dark lines of chocolate and vibrant swirls of fruit dashed across the dinnerware. Yuuri is flushed and smiling, laughter bubbling out of him every so often, and Viktor is watching him with a half-lidded gaze, the same flush of alcohol dusting his cheeks, his eyes sparkling with pleasure. The food has, indeed, been more enjoyable with alcohol, and every drink they try together is somehow infused with the same brilliant, crisp energy that Yuuri sorely needed. He is unashamed to say that he is rather drunk on it. The human alcohol can't affect him strongly, but the energy does, and Yuuri is feeling good for the first time in a long while.

"You're beautiful when you smile, Yuuri."

Yuuri's breath catches in his throat, and he glances up over the rim of his glass, unable to quite meet Viktor's eyes. Instead he drags his gaze along the line of Viktor's neck and shoulder, clad in a black button-up and looking far too sensual for Yuuri's nerves. "Viktor, that's a little..."

Viktor beams, holding up his glass in a toast, the beer sloshing over his hand in his enthusiasm. He has had almost twice as much to drink as Yuuri, a staggering amount for a human. "Nonsense, Yuuri! You should be complimented more! Everybody should sing about your beauty, your pretty charm and your lovely red eyes! Another toast, for beautiful Yuuri!"

Yuuri holds up his hands, laughing at Viktor's antics. "Viktor, keep your voice down, you're too loud!" Viktor, unsurprisingly, ignores him, and Yuuri flushes in embarrassment. After a moment, his laughter fades, his smile dying on his lips, and he stares at Viktor for a long moment. He drops his gaze to his glass, studying his reflection, but no -- brown human eyes stare back at him. His glamour is as strong as when he first put it on.

"Oh, I froze my beer," Viktor says then, looking at his hand, where the liquid that had splattered across his skin has crystalized into a cascade of amber-colored ice. He pouts and licks at the ice, not noticing Yuuri's jaw dropping, and the ice melts at his touch, sliding into his mouth as liquid once more. Viktor makes a face and picks up a napkin to wipe off his hand. "It never tastes as good after it's been frozen. A word of advice, Yuuri, never let good alcohol freeze. But you surely don't have that problem!" Viktor laughs, but Yuuri is not laughing with him.

Viktor's eyes are no longer merely blue, but now vivid and glittering with a faint glow of power -- the sign of a glamour beginning to fade. Yuuri is horrified.

"Your eyes," he blurts out. Viktor looks up from his glass and meets his stare, startled. Suddenly, everything makes sense to Yuuri.

Viktor is not a mage, nor a cambion, nor descended from either. He can resist a demon's power because Viktor is a demon himself.

Viktor seems to realize what Yuuri is getting at, reaching up to cover his eyes. The glow fades, but Yuuri does not take his gaze off Viktor, caught up in his realization. Viktor shifts in his chair, running his hand back through his hair, and the silvery strands fall back over half his face, a small gesture of anxiety that, somehow, seems to calm Yuuri's panicking thoughts. He picks up his beverage, then takes a second look at it when the ice clatters against the glass. Slowly he narrows his eyes and focuses on Viktor again, letting Viktor's nerves build up for a long moment before he speaks.

"It's in the ice, isn't it?" Yuuri says evenly, and Viktor starts, before a little sheepish grin curls over his lips. Somehow, it is endearing, and Yuuri sighs. Holding gazes with Viktor, he takes a drink, then tilts his head back and drains the whole glass, throat bobbing as he swallows the given energy. When he sets the glass down, Viktor blinks rapidly, opening and closing his mouth a few times, a small flush dusting his cheeks.

"Wow," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri almost smiles. 

"I'd like to talk to you," he says quietly, the hum of energy clearing his mind -- energy given to him by Viktor himself, through the ice cubes in each of Yuuri's drinks. How he did it without Yuuri noticing, since he did not sense any magic, he has no idea. Viktor considers him for a moment as he nurses his beer, most of his drunken façade faded, though Yuuri can still see the flush of alcohol, the brightness in his gaze. 

"Sure," Viktor says easily, hailing the server for their check. "I don't mind answering your questions."

The walk through St. Petersburg is quiet, snow crunching under their boots, the city hushed beneath a gentle snowfall. Yuuri should be cold, but now that he has been caught and revealed, Viktor demonstrates his ice powers with freedom, warding off the chill from Yuuri with a small wave of his fingers. The snow never touches either of them, the wind catching each tiny crystal and carrying it away wherever Viktor cares to send it.

Yuuri purses his lips against his scarf. He had allowed his powers to unravel a little when they had left the restaurant, to absorb the excess of alcohol in his human body, though the energy high has remained. He is a little giddy, a little worried, but Viktor is still smiling, open with his emotions now, as if not caring to keep up the playboy image any longer.

When they stop atop a bridge that has a grand view of one of the human churches, Yuuri starts at a touch to his hand. Gulping, he allows Viktor to take his hand, Viktor's palm soft against his own, and the change from the last time they touched hands is obvious: he can feel Viktor's emotions, quiet and deep, and he realizes the gift Viktor has given him.

All demons have the ability to discern emotions and thoughts from others, even from each other. Most keep up shields, and Yuuri is hardly any different, but he has never met anybody with such thorough defense as Viktor. Hours of being in his presence, and not once had Yuuri sensed his demonic power, until Viktor had been too drunk and cheery to hide it. Even as an incubus, Yuuri has a heightened ability to sense thoughts and emotions using touch, to the point that he can steal a target's knowledge without them ever noticing. It is a useful tool for learning human languages and technology.

With one touch, Viktor allows Yuuri to feel him, to step into his space for a moment and understand him. His shields are still excellent -- Yuuri cannot hear many of his thoughts, only the underlying emotions behind them -- but with this, Yuuri can tell if Viktor is telling him the truth or not.

Yuuri's face heats up, his heart beating a little faster, touched by the gift. It is only fair to do the same, so Yuuri tentatively unfurls some of his own shields, his power flaring a bit.

Viktor leans in a little, his voice warm and intimate. "You don't need to do that, Yuuri, but thank you for it. I've been reading you all night... I usually do, when a _mara_ demon visits me. I'm sorry for the deception." He is sorry, too, apologetic worry brushing over Yuuri's senses, and he revels in the honest emotion for a moment.

"Oh... so that's why you kept touching me. I thought it was attraction. I should have realized," Yuuri says ruefully, and Viktor squeezes his hand.

"It is attraction," is all he says in response, and Yuuri's face turns uncomfortably warm for a moment. He cannot respond, and Viktor nudges him forward, walking alongside him with their hands tucked close between them.

Viktor can't seriously mean what he is saying. Now that Yuuri knows he is a demon, there is no chance of anything happening between them. Even if he is helplessly attracted to him, Yuuri simply does not take demon lovers... and he still has doubts that Viktor could satisfy him.

Viktor's hand tightens a little on his fingers, and Yuuri quickly empties his mind, embarrassed to remember that Viktor can sense his thoughts.

When at last he has himself under control, Yuuri exhales, his warmth breath captured in the air as a cloud. Viktor twitches one of his fingers, and the cloud twists to form a figure skater, dancing along the air, before dissipating. Yuuri's eyes widen, enchanted by the small show of magic. "I didn't realize ice demons could do such things."

Viktor grins, mindful of the lit windows along the street, though Yuuri wishes he would perform the trick again. "I have a unique background," is all he explains, which could mean anything, really. Yuuri doesn't push him; if Viktor wants to keep his heritage a secret, then who is Yuuri to intrude on his privacy?

"How did you infuse the ice with energy without me noticing?" Yuuri asks, unable to help his curiosity.

Viktor beams. "Oh, now that was a stroke of genius, and a good trick on the poor humans back there! All I did was sneak into the bar where they kept the ice maker, and I put a spell on it to make the energy appetizing for any demon, just like they do at the restaurants at home. It shouldn't affect the humans too strongly, maybe make them a bit merrier, but it was all for you, Yuuri."

Yuuri blinks at him, once again overwhelmed by the force that is Viktor Nikiforov. If that even is his true name -- Yuuri has no idea. "I don't really know what I'm doing with you," Yuuri admits after a moment, his heart sinking. The first lesson of being a _mara_ is to know your client, and Yuuri has failed completely. He isn't sure why Viktor is still with him, and part of him wants to run home to the Underworld and spend the next five years avoiding reality. He doesn't, though, because of Viktor's gentle grip on his hand, and because of the underlying thrum of emotion he can sense through Viktor's human skin.

Unexpectedly, Viktor laughs. "You don't know? Aren't you an incubus? All of the others would've tried for my pants by now."

Yuuri blinks, then rolls his eyes, unable not to imagine Chris in that exact situation. "You seem to expect all of the _mara_ seduce people the same way," he mutters, and Viktor turns to look at him, tilting his head curiously.

"They don't?"

Yuuri stares at him, unable to tell if Viktor is joking -- no, he is genuinely clueless. A misconception that most of the Underworld shares. They all assume that the _mara_ behave like every stereotype about sex demons. Yuuri frowns a little, contemplating how to explain. "I'm not sure how it is for ice demons, but... let me ask you this. Do you gather energy from the cold the same way you do ice or snow? Does all ice give you the same energy?"

Viktor blinks, a thoughtful expression stealing across his face. Instead of making another joke, he puts seriously consideration into Yuuri's question. "No, I wouldn't say so. It depends on the type of liquid frozen, how long it's been frozen, and how pure it is."

Just like his parents and their elemental magic for water, then. "Okay... then why do you think all sex is the same?"

Viktor starts, as if not expecting Yuuri to mention sex, which is fair. He's blushed to every single insinuation Viktor has made tonight, but this is different. "I suppose it's not," Viktor says after a moment, blue eyes fixed on Yuuri's lips, which makes him wet them to ward off the stare. It doesn't work.

"It's not, no. All _mara_ experience sex differently. When we start training, if we don't stay with our family or take up an apprenticeship with an established _mara_ , then we get placed in a specific clan, depending on how we best gather energy. There are seven clans in all, and they all teach different ways to gather energy, to please our targets, and to find pleasure in sex. For some of us, pleasure is required to take energy from a human, and for others, it's pain. For some it's how we have sex. For some it's what kind of sex we have. Our clan, which becomes our home where we live and study, defines sex for us."

Yuuri breathes out, watching Viktor's face as he waits for a reaction. Not many outsiders truly understand the _mara_ clans, most thinking that sex works the same way for everybody. He hopes he can teach Viktor a little about it.

Viktor looks thrown, almost dazed in the light cast down from the nearby streetlamp. Yuuri almost smiles, amused that someone as experienced as Viktor didn't know this about such a significant portion of the Underworld. "Wow," Viktor breathes, caught up in Yuuri's story. "That explains so much. All of the succubi and incubi that have approached me have done it differently. What are the seven clans? Which one do you belong to, Yuuri?"

Starting a little, Yuuri tries to turn the attention away from himself. "Um... well, I belong to the _eros_ clan. There is also _ludus_ , sadism, masochism, _philautia_ , dominance, and submission. All of the clans have their own preferences. Like those in _ludus_ enjoy a lot of one night stands, public sex, and performances that entice their targets, and _philautia_ is more focused on one's own eroticism and sensuality. The others kind of speak for themselves," he adds, blushing a little. " _Eros_ is a little more ambiguous, and we have the fewest _mara_. We get the best energy through passion and emotion, not just lust. Most of us end up mating instead of preying on humans forever, though." 

He looks down as Viktor's grip tightens on his hand, thinking of his own failures to gather energy. He will probably have to mate with someone after all... and Yuuri doesn't know how to feel about that. A permanent bond with a compatible partner will solve his energy problems, but Yuuri has always shied away from demon lovers. It seems too daunting.

With a sigh Yuuri shakes away the depressing thoughts, aware that Viktor can sense his distress. "You're very popular in the Underworld, you know," he tells Viktor, snorting when Viktor's expression immediately lights up with smug pleasure. "All of the _mara_ want to have you, since you've resisted everyone who targets you."

Viktor sighs a little, a rueful smile touching his lips. Yuuri has to tear his gaze away from them, thinking they look rather kissable, but he has already resigned himself to not having Viktor tonight, if ever. "I have to commend them. After all, they've tried very hard." Before Yuuri can think on the fact that Viktor doesn't explain _why_ he avoids _mara_ demons, Viktor brings up Yuuri's hand, pressing soft lips to his fingers. "And you, Yuuri? Do you want to _have_ me?"

Yuuri's brain stops working. Viktor's smile edges toward a smirk at the wide-eyed look Yuuri gives him, and Yuuri cannot help the wave of _want_ before he pulls his hand out of Viktor's grip, looking away to hide his blush. "There's no need to tease me, you know," he says, wrapping his arms around himself. "I was told to come here and seduce you. Surely you know that, and just like with the others, I'm sure you have no intention of actually letting yourself be seduced." He lifts his head and frowns, as Viktor's expression turns impassive, missing the connection between them, but determined to make his feelings known. "Nobody in the Underworld knows that Viktor Nikiforov is a demon. Since I do now, I'd like to know why."

_Why are you hiding? Why are you so famous? Why doesn't anybody know? Why did you humor me? Why did you flirt with me? Why did you give me energy? Why?_

Yuuri takes a deep breath, almost wavering as Viktor remains silent, before boldly continuing. "Why are you pretending to be human, Viktor?"

Viktor stares at him with glittering blue eyes, one long finger brushing over his lips, as if contemplating which words he should use to eviscerate Yuuri's defenses and leave him floundering, helpless, on the side of the road. This Yuuri is sure of -- yet when Viktor finally speaks, he surprises Yuuri yet again.

"I'm not going to tell you now, Yuuri. It's quite a long story, and our glamours are beginning to fade. Shall we meet again tomorrow morning at the skating rink? I think I'd like to see you skate again before our conversation proceeds any further." Viktor gives a smile, secretive yet somehow honest, and Yuuri stares at him, flabbergasted for a moment.

He summons his dignity, what little still remains after spending the evening falling apart at Viktor's every whim. "What... tomorrow? Skating? I suppose..." Then his brain catches onto a particular word, and Yuuri stares openly. "What do you mean, _again_? You watched me skate earlier?!"

Viktor laughs, takes Yuuri's hand to kiss the back of it, and steps away, winking before he vanishes in a swirl of snow. Yuuri doesn't know whether to scream or cry.


	3. Chapter 3

Yuuri does not sleep. Instead he goes back to Hasetsu for the night, greeting his mother tiredly as he steps inside the inn. _Yuutopia_ is the Overworld inn his family owns and operates, one of the last in the human town where they settled, and his family has used it for centuries to draw out energy through hot springs and the nearby ocean. Demon lives last much longer than human lives, so every other human generation or so his family will adopt new glamours, pretending to age as the years pass, but other than that, the inn has remained the same for a very long time. It is a place where Yuuri has always found comfort; he missed it greatly when he was sent to live in the clan halls.

To the Hasetsu humans, he is a relative of the charming family that runs the local hot springs. If Yuuri had been born a water demon, he would have been known as their son.

His mother takes only one glance at him to understand what Yuuri needs. She sends him through the family quarters, pressing a little spell to his back with her hand, dousing him in invisibility to hide from the humans. Yuuri smiles at her, grateful for the warmth of her familiar magic, and makes his way to the showers to clean off his body. The stalls are empty of humans, but Yuuri doesn't want to linger, so he quickly washes himself off. When he is clean, Yuuri walks through the rest of the house, out the back door, and along a winding path that curves around the back of the structures, leaving his clothes in the house.

As he walks, Yuuri sheds the last of his human glamour, trusting his mother's spell to hide him from prying human eyes. His ears elongate to points; his eyes shift to a deeply glowing red. His hair does not change much, but Yuuri can push it out of his face now without worrying about it falling into his eyes in a boring human cut, the thick locks a bit longer and darker. His wings unfurl from nothing, and Yuuri stretches them with a sigh, glancing back to admire the black, leathery ligaments in the moonlight. He loves his wings, and he really should fly more, but he so rarely goes places outside of the clan halls. Invisibility spells only extend so far in the human realm, so it is dangerous to fly out in the open.

At the very edge of the property is a small hot spring that none of the humans of Hasetsu have ever seen. It is warded with demonic spells that hide it from human perception, and his family has used it exclusively for years. It is the one place on the hill that is untouched by human energy, and Yuuri goes to it with relief. After casting his towel across an ancient wooden bench, Yuuri steps into the heated water and sinks down with a faint moan, his wings spreading out as he submerges his body.

There is nothing like his family's hot springs. Yuuri sighs and sits back to relax, staring up at the stars as Viktor's icy energy burns through him, a stark contrast to the hot water embracing him. The energy feels as good as he had imagined; Yuuri savors the sensation of being full, of having enough power to do anything. He does nothing with the power, though; instead he tucks it deep inside himself, to last as long as possible. With a low sigh that sends a ripple across the spring's surface, Yuuri closes his eyes and focuses on his own power, falling into an uneasy meditation, not wanting to feel drunk on Viktor any longer.

For a time, though, Yuuri cannot resist it.

For as long as the moon hangs in the sky, Yuuri's body sings of someone else's energy. He has received demonic energy before; he has bought energy-fused food in the Underworld, of course, and he tastes it every time he falls into bed with Chris, but this is... different. Where Chris tastes of playful, teasing energy that licks at Yuuri's senses, Viktor's energy consumes him. All he can feel is Viktor, cold and strong and so deep, so powerful that it leaves him dizzy. He aches, a deep need rising up within him, and he drags his hands down his body, his eyes staying closed.

If he could have Viktor for one night... and Yuuri _wants_ it now. He wants Viktor's eyes on him, to narrow their worlds to just each other. He wants to pull Viktor into a kiss that is feeling more than touching; he wants Viktor's taste on his tongue. He wants Viktor to know his body, and only his. He wants to catch Viktor's smile with his lips and to touch him, to consume him, until Viktor is gasping his name in desperation. He wants Viktor to fill him with his power; he wants to fill Viktor with his desire.

He _wants_ , and he cannot have it. 

His meditation goes poorly. As the dawn approaches, Yuuri rises from the water, blinking hazily as he shivers in the cold air, overwhelmed and overcome.

~*~

Yuuri debates with himself furiously over a morning _katsudon_ bowl. Not the best of breakfasts, especially if he is to skate later, but it is Yuuri's favorite comfort food in any realm, so consequences be damned. Should he meet Viktor? Should he go back to the Underworld and talk to Lilia? Should he hide himself away in the hot springs all day?

Curiosity wins over trepidation. Yuuri returns to Russia. 

He meets Viktor in front of the ice rink in the early morning, wearing his human glamour again. He keeps a breathing mask over his face, and his breath fogs up his glasses when he exhales. Sometimes he tastes Viktor's energy on his breath, and it drives him a little wild. 

Viktor looks as stunning as he did the previous day, wearing a heavy coat and a tracksuit underneath, and he smiles brightly at Yuuri as he approaches. His hair gleams in the sunlight, and Yuuri has to avert his gaze. Unfairly beautiful demons are the worst, even in human glamours.

He doesn't understand why Viktor looks so pleased to see him. Yuuri's glamour looks about as terrible as he feels, not that Viktor seems to notice.

"What a beautiful morning in the grand nation of Russia! Don't you agree, Yuuri?"

When Yuuri shoots a glare at him, Viktor is all smiles, his eyes sparkling enough to match the undisturbed snow on the sidewalks. The sun has barely crested the horizon, and the early morning fog still lingers, enshrouding the lamp posts and street corners with a glimmering haze that Yuuri is hesitant to disturb. Viktor seems to have no such compunction, his voice loud enough to shake the show from a nearby tree branch.

"Oh, don't give me that look! You get to skate with me, the hero of Russia! I have the entire rink booked for three hours, just for the two of us." Viktor smiles charmingly and holds the door open for Yuuri, sweeping his arm in a grand, welcoming gesture.

Yuuri huffs, a little bewildered by Viktor's insistence that they skate together. He wants his questions answered, though, even though he is unsure about Viktor's intentions.

"What does it say about humans that a world-renowned hero is a demon?" Yuuri mutters, stepping past Viktor into the lobby, which is much warmer than the frosty cityscape. Viktor beams and follows him in, setting his suitcase down with a heavy thud that grabs Yuuri's attention, next to a long bench. Nobody is at the front desk; Viktor has a key to the building, which Yuuri would should find suspicious, but he cannot bring himself to care.

"But they usually are, aren't they? The most infamous humans always end up being demons in disguise! And to think they used to worship us as deities!" Viktor laughs, and Yuuri looks around worriedly, thinking it a little bold to speak of demons in a public human space, but he cannot sense anybody nearby.

"Viktor," Yuuri sighs, trying to think of how to argue with him, then gives up. "Is there a changing room here?"

Viktor tilts his head, raising his eyebrows at Yuuri, but he smiles genially. "Yes, down that hallway. You don't have a change of clothes with you, though, Yuuri."

Yuuri gives him a look for that comment. "I don't need it," he replies, turning on his heel and heading in the direction of aforementioned room. After a moment, Viktor follows him, undoubtedly curious, and though it tightens the knot of confusion in his chest, Yuuri allows it, even when Viktor joins him in the changing room.

When the door closes behind Viktor, Yuuri takes off his coat and lays it on a bench, then closes his eyes to imagine what he wants to wear. The mask on his face vanishes with a touch. He carefully draws down from his neck to his hips, then along his arms, and finally down his legs. A swirl of magic follows the motion, changing the fabric of his muted human sweater and jeans into a long-sleeved workout shirt and black thermal pants. He taps his wrists together, and black gloves appear over his hands. He doesn't bother changing his boots into anything different, given he will be putting on skates soon.

Viktor's quick inhalation catches his attention, and Yuuri turns to see Viktor staring at him with wide eyes. He starts in surprise when Viktor steps forward and takes his hands, turning them over to look at the gloves in admiration.

"Wow, Yuuri! A complete transition! What a lovely spell! Not even I can change human clothes so well! I can make people see them differently, but not new clothes entirely! What kind of spell is it? Where did you learn it?"

Yuuri flushes at Viktor's closeness but allows him to touch his clothes, breathing in his scent a little and enjoying it far too much. "Um, it's a transformation spell. I learned it at the _mara_ clan halls... all of us are capable of at least this much. Disguise magic is easy for us, and I was always good at this sort of thing." He glances up at Viktor, then down at his hands, pulling on his gloves a little as Viktor's fingers trail up his arm. " _Mara_ spells always have a little bit of misdirection magic in them, so humans never notice if I'm not carrying a bag or that I changed my clothes randomly. I'd rather do this than bother with shopping like a human. It does take a lot of energy sometimes, though... depending on how fancy the clothes are. This is..."

 _...the first time I've been able to do this in months,_ he realizes, and his gaze flicks up to Viktor's face. All because of the energy Viktor gave him last night.

"Wow, so you don't like shopping? But it's so fun," Viktor says with a laugh, his hand skimming down to Yuuri's waistline. Before Yuuri can stop him, he hooks a finger into Yuuri's pants and pulls, stretching the elastic band and leaning over to look down. He ignores Yuuri's shriek and scrambling hands, his face lighting up again. "Ohh, and you even have on a dance belt now! Or were you wearing it before?" he asks slyly, ducking Yuuri's grab for his face and letting go of the pants, the fabric snapping against Yuuri's skin.

"Viktor! You can't just, just do that, like that," Yuuri sputters, backing up several steps, his face enflamed once more. "And no, I wasn't wearing anything before -- _I mean_ \--" He quickly tries to backtrack, but Viktor's smile has already taken on a delighted edge. He follows Yuuri, his hands dropping to rest on Yuuri's waist, and Yuuri jumps slightly at the touch.

"Oh? I almost wish you had changed clothes like a human," Viktor murmurs, his smile sharpening. His scent surrounds Yuuri now, cool and crisp and so unlike a normal demon scent, and Yuuri breathes it in guiltily, savoring it.

"Viktor," he whispers, tensing as Viktor leans in to brush a cold nose along his neck. He has to tighten his control on his pheromones as heat flashes through him, though a little must leak through, as Viktor inhales sharply. "Why are you..."

Viktor's hands tighten a little on his hips. His silken hair brushes against Yuuri's cheek, and then something soft and delicate touches Yuuri's neck, the faintest kiss. The heat in his body increases, leaving him breathless and drowning in his own desire.

"Yuuri," Viktor murmurs, and that's when Yuuri senses it, through the barest connection of Viktor's skin to his.

 _Viktor's_ desire.

Suddenly -- it's too much. Yuuri cannot take it anymore. He pushes against Viktor's shoulders and scrambles out of his arms when Viktor steps back, halfway across the room before Viktor can voice an exclamation of surprise. Yuuri senses him turning but doesn't look back, taking deep breaths.

"Yuuri, is something wrong?" Viktor asks, sounding confused.

"I -- I just needed some air! Give me a moment, please?"

To Yuuri's eternal gratitude, Viktor obeys, keen blue eyes staying on him as Yuuri struggles to calm himself. How can he possibly do this? Viktor's mere presence intoxicates him, leaving all of his rationality on the floor like discarded clothes, and Yuuri cannot remember the last time he felt this attracted to somebody, not even for any of his clients. For the first time in his life, Yuuri wants someone so badly that he is ready to drop to his knees before Viktor and beg him to end this frustration -- and Yuuri does not beg. He has never let a client consume him so thoroughly.

He has never, ever felt this way before. Even as a sex demon, he has never _wanted_ anybody like this before. It terrifies him.

It terrifies him even more that Viktor seems to want him, too.

"Yuuri?" Viktor calls, none of the laughing cheer in his voice anymore. He sounds cautious, as if speaking to a spooked animal, and Yuuri huffs a little, thinking the comparison apt.

He swallows, not replying for a moment as he rubs over his heart. This agitated, his wings ache beneath his glamour, wanting to be freed, but Yuuri resists, not wanting to change in front of Viktor. The thought of Viktor seeing his demonic form sobers him, and Yuuri breathes in slowly, straightening and lifting his head.

Viktor is staring at him worriedly, still in the same spot, but his hands flutter nervously at his sides, as if he wants to take Yuuri in his hands again and check him over. The concern grounds Yuuri, and he shakes his head to clear it, unable to look Viktor in the face anymore.

"I -- I'm sorry. That was... too much." It hurts to admit that as an incubus. None of the other _mara_ demons he knows ever get this flustered by attraction, and once again Yuuri is reminded of his own inadequacies. He tugs his gloves on tighter, his shoulders hunching a little. His wings itch even more. "I thought... we were going to talk."

He cannot bear to look up at Viktor's face again. What kind of incubus would back away from such an opportunity for sex? Viktor must think him insane.

After a moment, Viktor crosses the room to him, his footsteps even and calm. He stops in front of Yuuri, outside of his personal space, and the little bit of respect lessens Yuuri's discomfort, enough that he manages to lift his head and look at Viktor, still unable to meet his eyes.

Viktor smiles at him. "I'm sorry, Yuuri. I didn't mean to scare you." Yuuri opens his mouth to deny that, but Viktor continues without letting him speak, turning to gesture toward the door. "Why don't you go wait in the lobby while I change? I have to do it the human way after all," Viktor adds with a wink, and Yuuri's face heats up again as he imagines Viktor half-dressed.

No. He needs to calm down.

"Thank you," Yuuri whispers, before he flees the room. He tries to leave behind the heat churning in his gut, but he does not quite succeed. The lobby is blissfully empty, and Yuuri goes to sit on one of the benches, leaning over as he hides his face in his hands.

_Calm down. Calm down, me._

He repeats the mantra, focusing only on his breathing. He does not allow other thoughts to intrude. Slowly the heat inside him cools to a tepid simmer, enough that Yuuri can think clearly again, even with his confusion blurring his thoughts.

He does not forget, though.

He should just go home. Maybe Chris could help him understand his confusing attraction. Being near Viktor certainly doesn't help.

He looks up when he hears footsteps, watching Viktor stride into the room, now wearing grey sweatpants and a short-sleeved black shirt. Viktor smiles at him, more gently than Yuuri expected, then sits down on the bench and pats the space beside him. "Yuuri, sit here. I have a present for you!"

Yuuri stares at him, then at the bench, then back at Viktor's smiling face. He attempts a smile, though it contorts his face into a grimace, before moving to the edge of the bench, as far away from Viktor's reach as possible. "What kind of present?" Yuuri asks, cautious after his meltdown earlier.

"Something to make your ice skating a little easier," Viktor says as he unlatches the case. He pushes open the lid and waves his hands with a flourish at the contents, beaming at Yuuri. "For you!"

Inside are two pairs of ice skates. Both pairs are black, the first pair a little larger with gold blades and blue guards, little Russian flags on the heels. The second pair is a little simpler with silver blades and red and white guards, and Yuuri stares for a long moment, not comprehending what he is seeing.

He fumbles for his words, while Viktor waits patiently. "You... you got me skates?"

Viktor's smile only widens. Yuuri wonders if he should be terrified of the glint in Viktor's eyes. "Why, it only makes sense, Yuuri! You'll need your own skates if I'm going to coach you!" He looks rather pleased with his statement, innocent in its boldness, his smile the only light Yuuri sees as the rest of his world bleeds away.

_What?_

The only response Yuuri can vocalize is something between a whimper and a screech. Viktor carries on as if he hadn't heard.

"Don't worry about the price! It's not like demons have to worry about money, right? Come on, try them on! I want to see them on you!" He kneels down before Yuuri and tugs off Yuuri's shoes before waiting for a reply. Yuuri is still processing the statement prior and cannot react, until Viktor takes hold of his sock-covered foot, which makes him recoil at the ticklish feeling.

"Viktor! Stop that! What -- what do you mean, be my coach? L-let me go, that's a little..."

Viktor's lips twist slightly in a little smirk. "A bit sensitive here?" He runs a finger along the arch of Yuuri's foot, and Yuuri just barely resists kicking him in the face in his attempt to wriggle away. Viktor holds on firmly, giving Yuuri another disarming smile as he eases the skate onto Yuuri's foot, taking his time to lace it up tightly. Yuuri shivers a little, his skin tingling from the simple, electrifying touch.

"I really don't understand what you're talking about. You're going to be my coach? In... what? Ice skating?"

"Of course! What else would I coach you in? Seduction? Though I suppose for an incubus, you probably need help there too," Viktor says with a little laugh that Yuuri isn't sure whether he should find offensive or attractive. The insult slides past him without sticking; it's nothing he hasn't told himself already. Instead he struggles to parse through the complete wreck of a conversation, but he still fails to see how Viktor came to this decision of "coaching" him.

Getting Viktor to explain himself is harder than anything Yuuri has ever done in his life. Whoever let this man's arrogance grow without being checked should be ashamed of themselves.

"Viktor," Yuuri says finally, firm and unyielding, and Viktor actually pauses at the tone, blinking at him. "Please explain what you mean. You said you would answer my questions."

Viktor doesn't reply immediately. After holding Yuuri's stare for a moment, Viktor carefully ties off the laces, double knotting them securely. He flashes a small, mysterious grin that makes Yuuri's heart race a little faster. "After I see you skate again, yes." He lifts Yuuri's other foot, thankfully without trying to tickle him this time, and slides the skate over his foot, patting Yuuri's ankle as if absently.

Yuuri takes a deep breath, counts to five, then releases it. "And if I skate for you, then you'll answer my questions? And explain this ridiculous notion of coaching me in a human activity?"

Viktor pulls the laces tight, still smiling, a chuckle in his voice. Yuuri has the suspicion that Viktor is simply humoring him at this point, and it riles him. "There is ice skating in the Underworld, too, you know. Why, some ice demons even like to debate whether it's actually a demon sport! Can you imagine, Yuuri? Crotchety old demons complaining about the humans stealing their fun. As if we can't share, like with Instagram and ice cream!"

Yuuri sees Viktor's attempt to deflect and distract him for what it is. He rolls his eyes, watching Viktor's deft human fingers tie the skates tightly, a bit mesmerized for a moment. He shakes off the feeling, not wanting a repeat of his sleepless night. "How interesting. Not as interesting as your reasoning behind becoming my coach, though."

Viktor glances up at him, his smile widening slightly, his hand coming to rest on Yuuri's thigh. Suddenly, Viktor's position on his knees takes on an entirely different meaning to Yuuri, and he has to look away. He'll let Viktor win this small round, if it means that he does not lose the battle with his own lusts. Long fingers squeeze his thigh, a strong thumb rubbing promises into his skin, before Viktor lets go and stands, holding out his hand to Yuuri.

"Tell me how they feel, Yuuri."

Yuuri hesitates, curling his toes a bit within the skates, finding them surprisingly comfortable. He wonders how Viktor was able to get custom skates so quickly. Likely with the liberal application of magic -- Yuuri can't blame him, considering he has done the same multiple times in the past. After a moment he takes Viktor's hand and pulls himself up, settling into the skates and shifting his weight curiously.

Viktor is looking at him with wide, expectant eyes, so Yuuri gives in and smiles a little. "They feel nice, Viktor. How did you figure out my size, anyway?"

"Oh, I took note of it last night when you returned that horrible rented pair," Viktor replies cheerfully, missing the surprised look Yuuri sends his way. "Excellent! I'm glad they fit you so well." He beams at Yuuri, then sets himself on the bench and quickly pulls on his own skates. Yuuri takes the moment to center himself again, absently touching his chest where Viktor's energy sits, cool and ready to aid Yuuri in any way he needs.

He resists. He is used to being careful with his energy -- there is no reason to lose control of himself just because he has an abundance right now. He has no idea what his future will bring, after all.

Viktor packs the rest of their belongings away in a locker and leads Yuuri into the ice rink proper, pulling on black gloves and flicking hair out of his face as he looks back at Yuuri. "You knew my routine rather well. Do you know any other routines? Have you ever competed?"

Yuuri flushes at the reminder that Viktor had hidden himself and watched him skate last night. How embarrassing! "I've never competed, no, but one of my assignations was a figure skater. They were training for a competition while we were together, and they introduced me to skating. I really liked it, so between assignations, I'd go skating."

Viktor pauses at the rink entrance, eyebrows raised as he watches Yuuri. "Oh? You were lovers with a competitive skater? Who was it? Which country are they from?"

Yuuri stops beside him, leaning down to unhook his skate guards and gently setting them on the barrier. Then he smiles at Viktor and puts a finger to his lips. "I don't kiss and tell, Viktor." Yuuri takes off his human glasses and sets them beside the skate guards. The human glasses are merely a prop; his vision is perfect. Then he steps into the rink and pushes off, gliding across the gleaming ice. Viktor's surprised expression was just too good. 

After a moment, Viktor joins him, pulling up to stop in front of Yuuri and putting his hand on his hip. "That's cruel, Yuuri, I'm curious! They must be good if they convinced you to start skating."

Yuuri shrugs. He has never revealed his assignations before, and he doesn't intend to start now. Of course, the only routines he knows are Minami's and Viktor's, and while he doubts that Viktor would recognize a routine from a national Japanese skater, he would rather protect Minami's identity. "They were enthusiastic about it, and it was fun to skate with them. I wasn't with them long enough to see the competition, so I don't know how well they did."

"Hmm... well, that's too bad. I'm glad you enjoy skating, though. You have the grace for it. From your training as an incubus, I presume? I've heard that Lilia Baranovskaya was famous in the human realm as a dancer." Viktor presses a long finger to his chin, drawing Yuuri's gaze to his lips, before he forces himself to look away.

"Yes, well... we all learned dance as children. Ballet, gymnastics, tumbling... to teach us to control our bodies with precision. Skating is a lot like dancing, so even though I'm not good at the jumps, it's like..."

"Yes, that exactly!" Viktor lights up, his hand dropping to take Yuuri's, pulling him forward on the ice. Yuuri startles at his touch, not fighting when Viktor turns their bodies and reaches down to pull up Yuuri's leg to extend behind him, pulling them flush against each other. "Skating is a dance, between the skater and the audience... like a dance between lovers," he murmurs, his breath washing over Yuuri's ear, making him squeak and blush red. This close, he can feel the heat of Viktor's human body, and the cold of his demonic power lingering beneath the surface, reminding him of the energy coiled tightly in his chest.

"V-Viktor --"

Viktor's fingers trail up his leg, skirting over his hip to his waist, then abruptly he lets go of Yuuri, making him fall -- only to catch him with one arm, a teasing smile on his lips as he gazes down at Yuuri, caught in his grasp. "Your curiosity and patience amaze me, Yuuri. Any other demon would have attacked me and dragged me back to the Underworld by now to face my family. But all you want to know is the truth. Shall I give you a little hint? This rink has layers upon layers of spells in the ice that collect energy when people have fun skating. Their love of the ice gives me power. Isn't that wonderful? Do you think it wrong of me, to take their energy in this way?"

Yuuri gasps when Viktor dips him, grabbing onto his shirt to keep himself from falling, but he is saved by Viktor's steady arm. He stops flailing when Viktor speaks, staring up at him in surprise, not understanding why Viktor switched topics so abruptly, or what he means by his family. His eyes widen slightly to hear about the spells, wondering vaguely which ones Viktor has used, thinking it sounds ingenious for an ice demon. All he knows about ice demons is that they prefer the extremely cold areas of the world and that they are rarely seen outside of their family halls.

"No... it sounds normal, I think? I use spells too, when I'm having sex... isn't that the purpose of magic? To aid us?" He flushes a little when Viktor only stares at him, surprise lingering in his mien, and he shifts nervously against Viktor's side. "Um, Viktor, this position is a little..."

Viktor's smile widens slowly. He slides his hand up Yuuri's back, pulling him up to stand, and leans in to brush his lips against Yuuri's ear. "You really are something else, Yuuri." Then he steps back and lets go of Yuuri, leaving him flushed and tense alone on the ice. "Dance for me, Yuuri. You can do my routine, or another one you know, or even just skate as you wish. Show me your love of the ice."

The intense look in Viktor's eyes almost scares Yuuri. He is missing something, words unsaid that Viktor has chosen not to voice, reasons that Yuuri suspects he will keep to himself no matter how many times Yuuri asks. Viktor's admission that he uses ice skating to collect energy answers some of his questions, and Yuuri suspects that the answers to the others lie in Viktor's true identity... which Viktor likely won't reveal to him. Yuuri wouldn't blame him if he didn't, even if he is curious.

If Viktor wants to be mysterious, then Yuuri will let him. He still has no idea what Viktor's intentions are, and he hopes that Viktor will be honest with him about that, at least.

"Alright," Yuuri murmurs, holding Viktor's stare. "Don't take your eyes off me, then."

He turns away without waiting for a response. He does not use either Viktor's or Minami's routines, though he does incorporate some of the elements he admires. Instead he just skates, thinking of the long nights he would spend in Ice Castle in Hasetsu between assignations, skating away his anxiety. He pushes himself, pouring his grace and precision into every moment, every jump, and though his skating does not follow music, Viktor's gaze never leaves him. When he fumbles a jump, he turns into another form, the only sound in the room the scrape of his skate blades against the ice.

At first Yuuri's nerves almost get the better of him. Exhibitionism was never his forte, unlike Chris and other _ludus_ demons, and performing like this for Viktor leaves him tense. As he skates, though, he feels himself relaxing, the cool air brisk against his skin, the silence soothing. If he had been born anything other than a sex demon, he could have spent his childhood in Hasetsu skating to his heart's content.

A low thrum catches his attention, and Yuuri notices a faint white glow in the ice beneath his feet. Caught by the sight, he skates backward until he can see more of the ice, and that's when he sees the outlines of a massive spell circle deep in the ice, at the center of the rink. 

Yuuri's eyes bleed red as he watches the spell and traces its components. Lines to draw energy, to maintain the temperature, to promote positive energy, to limit how much energy to take, and to protect humans from overexerting themselves. An ingenious spell, truly, and far above Yuuri's own abilities in arcane magic. He slows, watching the lines of energy brighten and pulse, and he feels it now, the faint tug at his power. It cannot take his innate energy, since Yuuri has his own protections, only latching onto what Yuuri has created while skating, but to see the spell in action is amazing.

Human eyes would be unable to see the magic. Yuuri wonders how long it took for Viktor to craft the spell.

He turns on his heel and skates backward from Viktor, holding his gaze again as he skates to the center of the circle. Before he crosses it, he pushes off the ice into a jump, turning three times in the air and landing smoothly on one foot. He laughs in exhilaration at landing the jump, turning again and closing his eyes as he skates, the spell brightening beneath his feet as he lifts his arms, breathing in the scent of ice with a sigh.

A few moments later, a hand touches his waist, and Yuuri opens his eyes in surprise to find Viktor skating beside him, one hand catching Yuuri's fingers. Instead of slowing, Viktor guides him across the ice, his eyes now a vivid, faintly glowing blue. Yuuri only hesitates a moment before he leans into the touch, letting Viktor do as he wishes.

Skating is different with a partner, but Yuuri is no stranger to intimacy with other people. It's a little like sex, actually -- if he arches his back when Viktor leans him back, it presses them together more intimately. If he reaches up to brush his hand against Viktor's face, it sends a shiver up his spine, just like a lover's kiss. He falters a few times, not daring to be bolder than that, but it is far more enjoyable than Yuuri expected.

The heat between them grows again, and once more Yuuri can feel Viktor's desire, an intangible pressure beneath the great well of energy that sings under Yuuri's fingers every time he touches Viktor. Yuuri never skated like this with Minami, having chosen a more focused path in his appeal to Minami's attention, but they had skated together a few times. Nothing like a dance, just Yuuri letting Minami show him his love for the ice.

Nothing like a seduction. Yuuri isn't sure who is seducing whom, here.

They slow to a stop in the middle of the spell circle, Viktor standing close in front of Yuuri, their hands clasped between them. Yuuri watches him, a vague haze fogging his thoughts. He wants to give in to his desire and give both of them what they want.

Yet when Viktor leans toward him, Yuuri reaches up to touch a gloved finger to his lips, stopping him. Viktor's surprise makes him smile, even as his cheeks warm, and he skates backward a bit to escape Viktor's embrace.

Viktor is left standing alone on the ice, his hands empty. He blinks a few times, before shaking his head and giving a little sigh, a small smile touching his lips. His face is oddly flushed, and the sight of his pale cheeks dusted with pink fascinates Yuuri, enough that he nearly misses with Viktor says. "That was amazing, Yuuri. A little amateur for the technical components, but your step sequences are mesmerizing. I look forward to coaching you!"

There's that word again. Yuuri takes a deep breath to calm himself, his bright red gaze dropping to the spell circle, which is beginning to fade. "Can you please explain that? Properly, without teasing me," he says, letting a bit of his frustration seep into his voice to enhance his plea.

Viktor's smile widens slightly. "It's simple, really. You told me that you were sent to seduce me. You are hardly the first. Madame Baranovskaya has been sending her _mara_ demons after me for years, and I've grown tired of it. If she believes that you are working on seducing me, then she will not send any others, and I can finally get a break. Isn't that great? And I can coach you to keep up the illusion. You like skating, right? It will be fun! I'll take you to the international competitions!"

Yuuri stops short, stunned into silence by Viktor's proposal. He flails a little as he stutters over a response. "But -- but I can't lie to her like that! And I can't just stay here without any assignations! I need energy, too!"

Viktor laughs, amused by Yuuri's shock. "Don't worry about energy, I'll supply it for you. After all, if you skate for me, then you'll be giving me energy, so it's only right that I give it back to you, yes? Besides, I don't want anybody from the Underworld to know that I'm a demon. I am in hiding, after all. And no, I won't tell you why," he adds cheerfully, grinning at Yuuri.

"B-but, Viktor, I can't just..." He trails off, touching his chest where Viktor's energy rests, biting his lip as he thinks of how _good_ it felt to be full last night. It might not be sexual energy, and it might not even be recognized by Yuuri's energy observer... but if he stays here, then he doesn't need to worry about assignations.

His first thought is relief, which startles him. Has he really been dreading assignations that much? Maybe a little... and it hurts to admit that, since he knows he is already a failure at seduction. The solution that Viktor is proposing seems too easy... but then again...

Yuuri takes a deep breath, then carefully pulls off his gloves, tucking them in his pocket and skating forward to Viktor, holding out his hand. Viktor's gaze drops from his face to his fingers, and Yuuri waits patiently, the request plain. After a moment, Viktor tugs off his own gloves and reaches out to take Yuuri's hand, clasping it firmly and letting Yuuri feel him.

Everything that Viktor told him is the truth. Yuuri senses more to his reasoning, but that likely ties into the other secrets Viktor doesn't want to tell him -- and that's fine. If Viktor can keep up his end of the deal and supply Yuuri with the energy he sorely needs -- energy he _craves_ , though he cannot have it in the way he most desires -- then he will agree.

Viktor must sense his decision through their connection, because his face lights up, and the next thing Yuuri knows, he is wrapped up in Viktor's arms in a hug. "Wonderful, Yuuri! I'll start planning everything immediately! You won't have to worry about anything while you're here! Oh, you should come live with me, too!"

Yuuri hesitates, unsure whether to hug him back, when Viktor's last words catch his attention. "What? Live with you?!"

Viktor just laughs at his shock, spinning Yuuri around in delight. Yuuri sighs deeply and lets him, suspecting that he might be in over his head... but he cannot find it in himself to regret it.

Staying with Viktor will be torture for his poor nerves, though. He might be doomed after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;D btw comments can give five years extra life, heal all wounds, and get figure skating demons boned 9000% faster
> 
> come visit my [tumblr](http://amberstarfight.tumblr.com) for ramblings and feels!


	4. Chapter 4

Viktor truly doesn't waste time -- for the rest of their allotted hours in the ice rink, he sets Yuuri to warm-up exercises, shouting orders from the barrier while he furiously taps away at a tablet. When Yuuri skates over to take a break, wiping sweat from his brow and feeling winded for the first time in years, Viktor pushes over a thermos without looking at him, deep in whatever has grabbed his attention on the device.

Yuuri takes the drink, grateful, and when he opens it, he breathes in the scent of Viktor's energy, cool and crisp. He nearly salivates, but stops himself, before taking a long drink, his throat bobbing. With a gasp he lowers the thermos and wipes his mouth, looking up to see Viktor staring at him, eyes a little wide.

"What?" Yuuri asks, confused.

"Nothing," Viktor says after a moment, then beams. "Look, Yuuri! Tell me, which one do you like better? The first one, or the second one?" He pushes the tablet in Yuuri's face, and Yuuri blinks to see an online ordering form with several options, all of them beds. 

He raises an eyebrow, giving Viktor a confused look. "Either one is fine... why?"

Viktor pouts at him. "I'm ordering for your room, of course! My apartment is very spacious and well protected with many spells, but of course I don't have another bedroom set up, so I'm ordering everything for you. Go ahead, pick one!"

 _Oh._ Yuuri flushes a little at the reminder that he has agree to live with Viktor, of all things. "It doesn't matter to me..." He quickly changes tracks when Viktor's pout gets worse. "I mean, um, how about that one? With the headboard?"

"Oh, really?" Viktor takes back the tablet, looking at the one Yuuri pointed to, then smiles. "Okay! What makes you like that one?"

Yuuri doesn't dare say the first reason that pops into his head, which is that he likes holding onto a headboard during certain types of sex. Viktor might flirt with him again, and his nerves can only take so much. "I like the color," he says instead, sipping more of his ice water. Viktor's energy burns a little on the way down.

Viktor hums, tapping the screen a few times, before grinning. "Excellent! I'll get the rest of your furniture in that type of wood, too. No expense spared for my student! Not that we need to worry about that as demons!" He laughs, flipping to a new page, this time with chairs. Yuuri is almost afraid of how much Viktor is ordering.

Yuuri just barely resists rolling his eyes. "Manipulation of human currency is unethical, Viktor," he tries half-heartedly. Unsurprisingly, Viktor ignores him. 

For a few moments, Yuuri simply watches him, a little bemused at how very human Viktor can act sometimes. He wonders just how long Viktor has been hiding in the Overworld and how much that has changed his behavior; though he can hardly say the same, considering he rarely leaves the _mara_ clan halls to interact with greater demon society. Phichit is the extent of his social network outside of other sex demons.

"I'll need to go back and meet with Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri muses, catching Viktor's attention.

"Oh?"

"Well, I'll need to tell her that I'll be living in the Overworld for a while... to 'seduce' you," Yuuri reminds him. "And I'll need to pack some things. I should probably stop by home, too, and let my parents know I'll be here instead of in Japan."

Viktor's interest brightens, enough that he lowers the tablet for a moment. "Japan? Oh, right, you're pretending to be Japanese."

"Technically I am Japanese," Yuuri replies before he can stop himself. Then he blushes, averting his gaze at Viktor's curious expression. "My family is descended from a Japanese woman who was consumed by a spring and turned into a demon. My family owns the land where her powers were born, and they run a hot springs inn. They're all water demons," Yuuri adds at Viktor's blank stare.

"Water demons? But aren't you an incubus?" Viktor asks.

Yuuri nods, absently stroking a finger along the cold metal of the thermos. "My great-grandmother was a succubus. The power manifested in me, even though my parents and sister are all water demons. It means that I can draw energy from pure water sources, but that's about it." He shrugs, sipping the water again and glancing up at Viktor, a little nervous for revealing his family origins. Not every demon approves of demons who were created from humans.

History holds that the Overworld and the Underworld came into existence simultaneously, and that as humans grew in population and ability, so did demons. Most demonic races developed solely in the Underworld, separate from humans, but some humans could turn into demons and build their own races. They weren't always as accepted as Underworld demons, but these days the stigma is much less, since the realms are so vast now and humans are plentiful for sustenance. Still, Yuuri rarely tells people about his family's origins, to save trouble.

Viktor doesn't look bothered at all -- in fact, his expression is of delight. "That's amazing, Yuuri! It's so fascinating how heritages can mix! Why, I --" Then Viktor falters, his gaze darting away from Yuuri as he touches his fingers to his lips to stop himself from speaking.

Yuuri blinks at him, a little bewildered as he waits for Viktor to continue, but he does not. Then Yuuri shrugs it off, giving Viktor his privacy. "It's a little interesting, yes," he says, a little awkward. "My mother recognized the _mara_ traits right away. My family always supported me, at least."

Viktor glances up at Yuuri, hesitating before he moves his fingers, smiling slightly. "Your family sounds wonderful. What sort of traits do you mean?"

Yuuri slowly lowers his thermos, holding Viktor's stare for a moment. "How many _mara_ demons have you met in the Underworld, Viktor?" he asks instead of answering.

Viktor blinks, taken aback. "A few," he replies, vague as can be, and Yuuri smiles a little.

"We always look a certain way. Of course, we share the traits with a lot of demons, but it's the specific combination of a few key traits that mark us as _mara_ demons. There are a few more that are just as distinct, too, but they're not visible." 

"But what are the traits, Yuuri?" Viktor asks, an edge of a whine to his voice, and Yuuri allows himself a small grin.

"I'm not telling."

"Yuuuuuri!"

"No," Yuuri replies, then leans over to tap the tablet screen, the glass brightening beneath his finger. "By the way, if you're going to order me sheets, I prefer blue." He takes one last long drink of icy water and closes the thermos, setting it at Viktor's elbow, then skates away, his face uncomfortably flushed even though he is smiling.

He misses the way Viktor stares after him thoughtfully.

At the end of the session, Viktor cheerfully leads Yuuri into the lobby to take off their skates. "No worries, Yuuri! I'll have everything set up by the end of the day! Just meet me here at sundown, okay?"

"Alright," Yuuri replies, distracted by the laces on his skates. Then he looks up with a frown. "Viktor, didn't you order everything online? Won't it take a few days to arrive?"

Viktor winks at him, which has the immediate effect of making Yuuri flush and look away. "Magic speeds up everything," Viktor says, grinning widely, and Yuuri wonders vaguely how Viktor manages to get away using so much magic. He never notices when Viktor does use magic -- does that mean it is undetectable to other demons as well? He hadn't even noticed the ice spell last night. Viktor must have put wards up to keep Yuuri from noticing it when he skated alone... which still boggles Yuuri.

"I wish I could say I'm surprised," Yuuri mutters, finally tugging off the skates and handing them to Viktor, who carefully stows them away alongside his own. Yuuri wriggles his toes, glad they are no longer constrained by the tight skates, then winces when his feet ache sharply.

"You wound me, Yuuri! Your coach is very sad now," Viktor laments with a distinct whine. Yuuri shies away from him, a little bewildered by him, and wary that Viktor might latch onto him again. He quickly slides his boots on and stands, fishing for his coat and scarf.

"W-well, um, I guess I'll see you tonight? Here, you said?"

"Yes, at sundown. I'll take you to my apartment from here," Viktor says, calming a little. When he stands beside Yuuri, he pauses, reaching out to catch the sleeve of Yuuri's coat. "Oh, Yuuri?"

Yuuri pauses in tying his scarf, looking up at Viktor in confusion. "Yes?"

Viktor's lips curl in a small smile, his silvery hair falling over his eye. Yuuri should not find it so attractive. "May I put a little spell on you? I think it will benefit you greatly when you go back."

Yuuri frowns a little, not expecting that at all. He hesitates before he answers, as _a little spell_ could mean anything. He has felt Viktor's intentions, though... he doesn't think Viktor means him any harm. "What kind of spell?"

"It's for your protection. A spell to keep my secret. It won't hurt you, just keep others from taking the secret from you. It will be so subtle, you won't even notice it's there. I wanted to get your permission first. Think of it as a promise to keep my identity a secret for me."

Viktor gazes down at him evenly, his melodic voice soothing and matter-of-fact. Yuuri doesn't respond for a moment, finding the idea of such a spell daunting. He has never been spelled silent before; he has no secrets that anyone would consider important enough to protect in such a manner. He thinks of Viktor's reticence on certain subjects and wonders what Viktor could possibly be hiding.

He reaches up abruptly and presses his bare hand to Viktor's face, meeting his eyes for a long moment. Viktor starts at the touch but doesn't move away, and for a moment, Yuuri can feel Viktor's worry, that Yuuri will run home and tell everybody about the ice demon in St. Petersburg. He feels an undercurrent of fear of the repercussions of someone finding out.

Yuuri lets him go. "You have my permission," he says quietly.

Viktor stares at him for a long moment, his lips parted slightly in surprise. Then he smiles, and it is like the sun rising over the snow, sparkling and beautiful. "Thank you, Yuuri."

Viktor then begins to draw his fingers through the air, lines of magic following the motions, forming the spell in front of Yuuri's eyes. Yuuri watches the components with a little bit of awe. One of the few bits of arcane magic he can draw without words or tools is a transportation spell, which is the first thing demons learn as children. His own strengths lie in disguise magic and transformation; he wonders how long Viktor has studied spell crafting, to be a master like this.

The lines draw a straightforward spell, centered around a secret. Yuuri recognizes the components, but he has never seen them combined in such a manner; he really should study arcane magic more. The spell will not hurt him; the worst it will do is silence him if he tries to tell Viktor's secret. The rest of the spell will sink into his mind like a ward, so that prying demons who like to read minds and emotions will be unable to take the secret from him.

When the spell is complete, Viktor captures it in his hand and gently lays it over Yuuri's throat. Yuuri gasps as the cold magic sinks into his skin, wrapping around his throat. He can feel the magic spreading through his mind, sealing his knowledge of Viktor's demonic heritage and abilities away under protective wards. When the glow fades, Yuuri reaches up to his throat, meeting only smooth skin.

It feels like a collar.

Yuuri shivers, swallowing at the thought. His gaze meets Viktor's faintly glowing eyes. Viktor looks entirely too satisfied, his smile warm as he watches Yuuri, who wishes he could tell what Viktor is thinking. He reaches up to his chest, touching the coil of energy Viktor has given him, breathing out a chilled sigh. Viktor leans down, brushing cool lips against Yuuri's rounded ear, his closeness a promise of intimacy.

"Don't worry, Yuuri. I'll protect you."

Yuuri wonders if he is in over his head.

~*~

Yuuri goes back to Hasetsu first. His parents are happy to see him and don't ask any questions about his temporary move to Russia, which is a relief. After packing a few items into a bag which he sets aside, Yuuri summons his power and holds out his hands, a white magic circle appearing on the ground in front of him. When it lights up, he vanishes, appearing in the middle of his room in the Underworld.

The glow beneath his feet fades, and he steps out of the transportation circle carved into the stone floor with a small sigh. His apartment is small but comfortable, a mix of human devices, demon artwork and books. Exhaling, Yuuri strips and drops the human glamour, stretching his wings as he fishes around for a sleeveless halter top and a pair of long black shorts. He doesn't bother with shoes; no one in the clans wears shoes when they're at home.

First he packs. He might be able to change his clothes at a whim, but he would prefer to save his energy. Packing takes hardly any time, and Yuuri already knows what he will need for a long stay in the Overworld, after his assignation for Sara and Michele. He chooses only a few of his demon effects, since not everything can work in the Overworld, and it is relatively easy to procure human supplies.

Yuuri falters when he knocks his knee into a heavy brown chest at the bottom of his closet, flushing. His toys. Should he even bother bringing them? He isn't going to have sex with Viktor, after all.

He touches the coil of energy in his chest, remembering the rush of Viktor's desire. Even if he doesn't intend to seduce Viktor, to bear the brunt of his own desire without any release...

...Maybe a few wouldn't hurt.

After everything is packed, Yuuri takes one final look around the room, He pauses when his gaze alights on the dresser, where a black box sits, then turns away.

Time to visit Lilia.

He hesitates at the door, his black fingernails dragging down the metal knob. How can he lie to Lilia like this, after she extended such kindness to him? He should tell her that Viktor is a demon -- and now he cannot. Instead he is protecting somebody he hardly knows, instead of trusting someone he has known all his life.

He _knows_ Viktor means him no harm, though... and technically, he is still following Lilia's orders by staying in Russia and 'pursuing' Viktor. Even if nothing will come of it.

He sighs and opens the door.

Lilia is in her office when Yuuri knocks, and she waves him in without looking away from several energy observers, the varying levels of energy casting a reddish glow on her desk. "Yes, Yuuri, what is it?"

Yuuri sits down and clasps his hands, his wings folding on his back. "Um, I wanted to let you know... I met Viktor Nikiforov, and I caught his attention. I'm going to be his student in the Overworld... so I'll be living up there for this assignation." He is proud that his voice doesn't shake. Viktor's spell remains coiled around his throat, ready to interfere if Yuuri strays toward Viktor's secret.

Lilia glances up from the energy converters, raising an eyebrow. "That is fine. I look forward to hearing about your progress next month. Is that all you needed to tell me?"

Yuuri scarcely dares to count his luck. "Yes, Lilia- _neesan_."

"Very good. I'll see you next month, Yuuri."

"Thank you, Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri says, standing and heading for the door. He pauses, though, when he hears Lilia again, tensing. 

"Oh, don't forget this, Yuuri. Yours takes the form of a necklace, no? Here."

Yuuri turns with a faint edge of sickness, watching dully as one of the energy observers glows bright red, a slim black metal collar with a bright red jewel in the center appearing above it. Lilia sends it floating to him with a wave of her fingers, and Yuuri reaches up to take it out of the air, staring down at it morosely. Even though he had left it in his room, Lilia was able to call it back to him.

Without uttering a word, Yuuri unclasps the collar and closes it around his neck, feeling the metal seal itself together after he lets go of it. The bright red jewel sits at the hollow of his throat. 

The one thing that binds him to assignations. The collector that is linked to his energy observer, that Yuuri must wear every time he goes to gather energy through sex. It is part of his contract.

Yuuri wishes it didn't exist.

When Yuuri became an adult and chose to stay with the clans, he signed a contract in blood, a promise to gather energy for the clans. The collector takes the energy he gathers from humans and measures it using the observer it is linked to. When Yuuri was collecting every month, the energy would be converted into crystals on a monthly basis, of which a portion would go to the clans' coffers, and the rest would be given to him. If he had been strong enough on his own, or had apprenticed himself to someone outside the clans, he wouldn't need to wear such a thing... but he has no choice. He signed the contract, after all.

Every year he has a chance to either renew the contract or break it without repercussion. He still has several months remaining for this year's contract. Hardly enough time to seduce a human who doesn't exist, though Lilia had given him no time limit on Viktor Nikiforov.

The contract hasn't been _bad_ ; it gives Yuuri many protections that he wouldn't otherwise have as an incubus living alone in the realm. It allows for low months, when he can get a stipend if he cannot gather enough energy on his own. If anyone ever harasses him, the clans will protect him, and he has his own rooms here. It has kept him alive ever since he signed it five years ago.

Some days it feels like a shackle, though. As if he is a slave to his own body, born to live for others' pleasure.

It settles over Viktor's spell like a second skin.

"Thank you, Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri murmurs, turning away. At least it is tied to his demon form; not even Viktor will be able to sense it while Yuuri is wearing a human glamour.

~

Yuuri's visit with Phichit is short, as Phichit is running late for a ceremony, but he is especially impressed that Yuuri has managed to catch the eye of the infamous Viktor Nikiforov.

"I knew you had it in you, Yuuri! You're going to be amazing! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone who you're seducing," Phichit says, putting his finger to his lips and winking. Yuuri smiles weakly, not liking that he is lying to his friend, all for his own selfishness. He hesitates.

"Phichit-kun... I think there's more to this assignation than meets the eye."

Phichit blinks, tilting his head. "Is something wrong, Yuuri?"

Yuuri opens his mouth, thinks of Viktor's secretive smile, and closes it again, his gaze dropping. "I can't really say. I'm not sure what's going on. I wish I could tell you more."

Phichit sobers a little, watching Yuuri for a long moment, perhaps hearing what Yuuri cannot say. Then he smiles, and Yuuri returns it, the expression more real this time. "Don't worry, Yuuri. If anything happens, you can come to me straight away, okay? Anything at all."

He knew he could rely on Phichit. He cannot tell Viktor's secret, but at least he has one person he can trust with his own insecurities. "Thanks, Phichit-kun."

His last meeting is quite by accident -- Yuuri hadn't intended to meet with that person at all. Yet when he leaves Phichit's home and walks back to the clan halls, someone surprises him by coming up behind him and wrapping an arm around his waist, warm body pressing against his side. Immediately Yuuri's nose fills with the scent of Chris' enticing pheromones, and he shakes his head a bit, looking up at Chris with a small blush.

"Yuuri," Chris croons, nuzzling into his hair. "You've been so busy these past months, I've barely seen you. Shall I steal you away for the afternoon? I've missed you."

Yuuri allows him the closeness for a moment, a shiver running through him. It would be nice to take the edge off... after Viktor driving him mad for two days. Has it really been only a day since he met Viktor? He shakes his head a bit to clear his thoughts, biting his lip. Of all the _mara_ demons in the halls, Chris is closest to him. Despite his tendency to gossip about rankings, if it's something personal, he knows Chris would never tell anybody if Yuuri told him something in confidence.

"I don't really feel like sex right now, but... could I borrow you for a different reason? I'd like some advice, Chris."

Chris' heated scent fades a little with his surprise, and he gazes down at Yuuri for a long moment, his fingers pausing in the act of slipping beneath Yuuri's shorts. Yuuri smiles a little, not blaming him for his shock; he has never actually refused sex with Chris before.

"Of course," Chris says after a moment, giving Yuuri a little bit of space, his smile returning. "Shall we?"

When Yuuri sits down in the corner booth in the small café near his and Chris' apartment complex, a faintly glowing orange drink in front of him, he finds himself unwilling to express his feelings. What would Chris think of him? He knows his feelings are abnormal for their race.

Chris doesn't push him, letting Yuuri gather his thoughts without being oppressive, and Yuuri appreciates it. He has always been grateful that Chris respects his boundaries, even when Yuuri sometimes fumbles to establish them.

"I'm not really sure how to say it," Yuuri finally says, exhaling. "I think I'm just confused about everything, and it doesn't really make any sense to me. I don't think I can explain it properly."

Chris reaches over to trail his fingers over the back of Yuuri's hand, in a circling motion that isn't invasive nor desirous, simply a connection between them. It soothes Yuuri a little, because he can sense Chris' concern for him. "How about you just talk, then? We can make sense of it as we go. I don't mind listening, Yuuri."

Yuuri casts his gaze over to Chris, who smiles at him, red eyes twinkling. "Okay... well. You know I was taken out of the monthly rankings to work with Lilia- _neesan_ , right?" He looks down at his hands when Chris nods, remembering that Chris had overheard Lilia calling him into her office that day. "It's because my rankings were so low. I was struggling pretty badly. I'm still struggling. I think I've come to dread assignations, even though I did so well in lessons... I've always had trouble connecting to my clients. I say the right words and do the right things, but there was never any real... desire? I chose them because they seemed like they would enjoy me the best. Not... because I wanted them."

Yuuri pauses for a long moment, reaching up to rub at the skin over his chest where Viktor's energy burns, his face flushing a bit. Chris stays quiet, his eyes remaining on Yuuri's face, letting him find his own words. "Even after several months with Lilia- _neesan_ , I still don't feel comfortable with myself. I think I must be broken. I mean, it's no surprise given my rankings, but for a sex demon to feel no desire for sex? There's something wrong with me. And now there's this person... he makes me feel things I've never felt before. I don't understand it at all."

After Yuuri says the last words, he viciously bites his lip, shame welling up inside him. His wings bunch against his back, tension radiating through his body, half-ready to jump up and flee to his apartment. This was a mistake. He was born a mistake -- he should have been a normal water demon, not a terrible sex demon. What kind of sex demon doesn't want sex?

Chris taps his hand then. "Yuuri, don't bite." Yuuri's gaze flashes up in surprise, his mouth dropping open instinctively. Chris isn't smiling, but his eyes are kind as he looks at Yuuri. "You're not broken, and there is nothing wrong with you. You enjoy sex, right?"

Yuuri's face warms a bit, and he can't hold Chris' gaze, reminded of when Lilia asked the same question months ago. "Sometimes." Then he backtracks, holding up his hands quickly. "N-not with you, I mean, yes, with you! But it's like..." Yuuri shrugs morosely, turning his head away. "You always talk about how certain people or kinks make you really horny. I've never felt like that. Sex is just another activity to me... Sometimes it's very good, and there are definitely types of sex that I really like, but... mm. I've never approached anyone outside of my clients. I don't think I feel attraction the same way you do."

"Hmm," Chris murmurs, leaning back to watch Yuuri contemplatively. He stays silent for a long moment to consider Yuuri's words, sipping his drink slowly. "Yuuri, you weren't born to a _mara_ family, were you?"

Yuuri blinks, glancing up at Chris hesitantly, and shakes his head. "No, my parents were water demons. My great-grandmother was a _mara_ demon, though... but she mated into the family."

Chris nods slightly. "A long time ago, there were only six _mara_ clans. Did you know that?"

Yuuri shakes his head, Chris' even tone relaxing him a little. "No, I didn't know that... what happened?"

" _Eros_ didn't exist at first," Chris explains. "Instead, _philautia_ had a higher number of demons than the other clans. Then as human sexuality evolved, the clan leaders realized that some humans were only sexually excited by certain people. Different than kinks or personal preferences, these humans craved emotional connections with their partners. _Eros_ demons were most suited toward those types of humans. Many of the _eros_ demons actually feel the same way about their lovers. You're very selective of your clients, are you not?"

Yuuri nods slowly, amazed at this hidden side of his clan's history. "I am... wow. I didn't know any of that."

"It's old history. Most of the clans don't bother teaching it anymore. It's well known to those of us who are born to _mara_ who have mated each other. You see, my father is an _eros_ incubus. He always said that the only person who really turned him on was my mother. He said everyone else felt lukewarm when he first felt her heat."

Yuuri inhales softly. The words are something familiar, the same emotions he has been fretting over for years now, made obvious in the past two days. All because of Viktor. "So... the way I feel, it's... normal? For _eros_?"

"Mm. Yes. I'm sure not all _eros_ demons feel the exact same, but all of the mated _eros_ _mara_ talk about it like you do. They have sex normally, they can perform just fine with their clients, but their favorite partners are special. You said you met someone, right?"

Yuuri flushes immediately, a small noise escaping him. "Sort of," he hedges, sighing as Chris' fingers return to his hand, dragging long nails across his wrist, slow and gentle. The touches are simple, merely a reflection of their friendship -- it is normal for _mara_ to be this physical with each other. Yuuri doesn't see anything sexual in the touch... unlike every touch between him and Viktor. "There's someone I... am attracted to."

Chris chuckles, his husky voice dropping a little. "Oh? He must be very special. Why don't you seduce him, then?"

The words sober him a little, and Yuuri lowers his gaze, thinking of the agreement he has made with Viktor. "I can't... he's unattainable. And he's a demon."

Chris' fingers pause against his skin. "Why is that a problem?"

Yuuri bites his lip again. "I've never been with another demon, outside of other _mara_. I don't... he's not..."

Chris is silent for a moment, his fingers twitching against Yuuri's knuckles. Then he sighs softly, letting go of Yuuri's hand and leaning back, picking up his drink again. "That's too bad. I wish you luck with him anyway. As I understand it, the desire you have for him is perfectly normal for the type of _mara_ you are. Does that help a little?"

Yuuri breathes out, looking up at Chris and giving him a hesitant smile. "It does. Thanks for listening to me... I feel bad that I didn't know this myself. I knew that _eros mara_ mate more often than other _mara_ , but not about the selective attraction, not like that. It makes a lot more sense now."

"Good. Though I'm a little appalled at your instructors for not teaching you that part of being an _eros_ demon." 

"Oh," Yuuri flounders, flushing a little. "It can't be helped at this point. I'm just glad you could explain it to me." 

Chris nods, distracted for a moment as he turns his gaze away, before he looks back at Yuuri and smiles, this time with a seductive edge. "No matter. Do you feel better now? Enough for a little bit of fun?" He smirks, settling his hand over Yuuri's again and rubbing his thumb along Yuuri's pulse, making him squeak as his scent deepens again.

Yuuri hesitates before he refuses, debating for a moment. It _would_ be nice to let off some steam... but then he thinks of Viktor, waiting for him with that bright smile, and any desire that Chris incites dies within him. He smiles a little. "Sorry, Chris... not today. You did make me feel better, though."

"Mm... well, maybe another time. I'm always here for you, Yuuri. No hard feelings." Chris smiles, taking the rejection without complaint. He stands with fluid grace, folding his wings and leaning down to press a kiss to Yuuri's neck, a simple good-bye. "Come visit me whenever you change your mind, yeah? My bed is always open to you." 

Yuuri flushes a little bit and allows the touch, hesitating another moment before leaning up to kiss Chris properly on the lips, a small show of gratitude. He leans back after letting him go, his face warming more at the slightly dazed look on Chris' face. "I'll be in the Overworld for a long-term assignation, but I'll think of you."

Chris blinks a few times, his gaze dropping to Yuuri's mouth, as if tempted to steal another kiss. "Oh... I see. Take care, then. I look forward to when you return." Chris winks at him and leaves with little fanfare, and Yuuri sighs as he walks away, his gaze dropping to his glass.

It wasn't nearly as good as the drinks Viktor gave him. 

Chris' scent is lingering, which is nothing new to Yuuri -- he has known Chris since he was a child, and Chris likes to tempt the people around him with his scent, which is admittedly good. This is possibly the first time it hasn't ended in mutual orgasms for Yuuri -- and it's a reassuring scent. He hopes he can keep himself grounded when he returns to Viktor. To be so attracted to him...

Well, nothing can come of it anyway. Yuuri knows Viktor is using him, either as a shield against other _mara_ or as a toy for amusement -- but he is using Viktor, too. As long as they understand that about each other, he isn't going to complain about the lack of sex.

Even if he suspects it would be very, very good.

~*~

Yuuri returns to St. Petersburg using an empty alleyway, appearing in the center of a spell circle in the shadows, wearing his human glamour and human clothes once more. His entrance disturbs the snow, splattering the icy slush against the stone wall of the building beside him. Yuuri sighs, scuffs his foot around the ground to erase the obvious circle from the spell, and sets off down the street, rolling his suitcase behind him. The sky is overcast but for a bare sliver of gold and orange at the edge of the horizon, the sun brightening the underside of the clouds with rosy pinks and dusky purples.

Viktor is standing outside the ice rink when Yuuri approaches. He lights up when he spots Yuuri, waving emphatically until Yuuri reaches him, then wrapping his arms around him tightly. "Hello, Yuuri! Did everything go well?" He lets go before Yuuri can pull away, taking the suitcase from him with one gloved hand, the other finding Yuuri's and clasping it.

The contact is a little startling, after Yuuri has been thinking about touching Viktor all day. Yuuri's face warms, but he allows the touch, suspecting that Viktor will start pouting if he pulls away. "Yes, it was fine. I'll be in your care from now on, so..."

Viktor beams and squeezes Yuuri's hand, content to keep him close as they walk down the street together, Yuuri's suitcase rolling behind them. "I'll take good care of you. I have everything planned out! You'll live with me and train at the rink every morning except Sunday and Thursday. You'll also have afternoon practice at a dance studio, and I look forward to seeing your skills in dance! I'm sure they must be amazing, if you studied under Lilia Baranovskaya!"

Yuuri raises an eyebrow, bemused that he will actually have a training schedule. It's a little surprising that Viktor is actually taking the coaching part of their agreement seriously. "I wouldn't say that, but... um, I'll work hard for you."

He glances at Viktor out of the corner of his eye, catching sight of his smile. "I look forward to it," Viktor says, then begins to describe the schedule in greater detail at Yuuri's hesitant inquiry. The glow of the sun fades slowly as they walk together, hands clasped between them. 

Viktor's home is at the top of a high-rise apartment complex, tall enough to look over the entire city. The building is shining steel and glass, and the front doors require a key fob, which Viktor gives to Yuuri. "I've already added you to the apartment listing, so you won't have to worry about security bothering you," Viktor tells him, leading Yuuri to an elevator with glass walls on the back edge that overlooks the street. "We're on the top floor. The view is _amazing_ ," he gushes.

Yuuri silently agrees, turning to look behind him and watch the city fall away as the elevator rises. It's a little like flying, and his wings ache beneath his glamour for a moment, making him sigh. "Sometimes it can be so pretty up here," he murmurs, admiring the glow of the city against the clouds, the view obscured a bit by light flurries of snow. "I don't think I've ever stayed in a place with this much snow."

The last word catches in his throat when Viktor leans in close to him, breathing in deeply as his nose brushes Yuuri's neck, and Yuuri quickly draws away, reaching up to cover the tingling skin. _Too close,_ he thinks as Viktor raises his eyebrows at him. Viktor seems to enjoy scenting him often, a definite demonic trait, but it unnerves Yuuri every time.

Viktor stares at him for a long moment, his head tilted to the side, his mouth turned down a little. Then he shakes his head and looks away, leaving Yuuri a little confused.

Neither says anything when the elevator slows to a stop and opens with a soft chime. Viktor leads them out, holding onto Yuuri's hand as they walk down the hall, which only has a few doors that are widely spaced apart. He stops in front of the last door and lets go of the suitcase, entering a code into an electronic lock on the door.

Inside is a wide, spacious apartment with white walls, wooden floors, and deep blue and grey accents. Every inch is clean and gleaming, just as modern as the outside of the building, with expansive windows that overlook the city, heavy grey insulated curtains to keep out the cold pulled close over the windows, with thin white curtains hanging over them. At the other end of the living space are three doors, one of them slightly ajar.

When the door clicks open, Yuuri hears a bark. Viktor's smile returns, and he tugs Yuuri and his luggage into the apartment, letting go of both and dropping to his knees. "Makkachin! I brought Yuuri!"

A large brown dog with curly fur skitters across the wooden floor and runs to Viktor, happily licking his face. Yuuri stares as the door clicks closed behind him, completely thrown by the dog's presence. Animals tend to avoid demons, and for Viktor to own one?

He softens a little when the dog ducks under Viktor's arm after a moment and comes up to him, nosing at his hands curiously. "Hi," Yuuri says softly, dropping his backpack to the floor and patting the dog's soft head.

"Isn't she beautiful? She's my darling Makkachin," Viktor beams as he stands, pulling off his coat and scarf, then helping Yuuri out of his coat. Yuuri lets him, distracted by Makkachin, cautiously kneeling down to look at her. She barks and crowds into his space, sniffing him excitedly.

"Makkachin? I'm surprised she's so friendly... considering," Yuuri wonders, gently petting Makkachin, not minding her antics. He notices Viktor taking his luggage across the living area to one of the closed doors, but then Makkachin starts licking his neck and he laughs.

"Isn't she sweet? I introduced your scent to her already," Viktor says, his voice muffled for a moment as he deposits Yuuri's luggage in the room. Yuuri wonders how on earth he managed that, then decides he doesn't want to know. 

When Viktor returns, Yuuri is scratching Makkachin's back, his gaze soft as he watches her. He was never allowed a pet in the clan halls, though he had wanted one when he was very young and still living with his parents. Makkachin jumps up and presses her cold nose to Yuuri's neck again, and a moment later, Viktor joins them on the floor and copies her on Yuuri's other side, wrapping his arms around Yuuri and nuzzling into his neck.

Yuuri yelps, overwhelmed immediately, and he tries to scramble away. Viktor doesn't let him go, content to hang off him, and his scent washes over Yuuri, clean and crisp and intoxicating. "V-Viktor! What are you doing?"

Viktor's lips curve slightly against his neck. "Just making sure you smell like me. Makkachin will like you even better," he adds cheerfully, as if he hasn't just sent a jolt of heat through Yuuri, clear and strong and a little terrifying, leaving him throbbing for a moment.

Yuuri shivers and tightens his control on his pheromones, shaking his head to clear it. Every time he thinks he has control over his reactions, Viktor does something else to destroy every semblance of his rationality. It is a constant struggle with his desire, and Yuuri has to rely on years of discipline to keep himself from tugging Viktor in even closer.

Knowing now that his attraction to Viktor is perfectly normal for him doesn't make handling the attraction any easier. The depth of his desire scares him, considering he has known Viktor for only two days. Chris had said his feelings were typical... but they feel anything but normal to Yuuri.

"Okay," he whispers, as already Viktor's scent is replacing the scents of the Underworld and his friends. He might as well get used to it; he will be in Viktor's care for a long time.

After a moment Viktor pulls away with a little grin, standing fluidly and holding his hand out to Yuuri. Makkachin hops off Yuuri's lap and pads away, and Yuuri hesitates only a moment before reaching up to take Viktor's hand, sensing a hint of smug satisfaction for a moment before Viktor's shields go up, blocking the thoughts behind the odd emotions. Yuuri wonders what he has to be smug about, then sighs, thinking the answer would likely fluster him. He pulls himself up and steps back before Viktor can crowd his space again, and Viktor lets him, a smile on his face.

"You're so lovely, Yuuri," Viktor sighs, then continues before Yuuri can protest. "Shall I show you around? It's your home now, too."

Yuuri struggles to keep his face from heating up again. It doesn't work. "Yes, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say you guys are all amazing??!? Thank you so so much for all the support and love! I'm so glad you're enjoying this!!!
> 
> [Viktor's apartment looks like this!](http://www.designfather.com/scandinavian-apartment-industrial-elements-architect-denis-krasikov/) Yes, this is the exact model that the anime uses. Isn't it lovely?
> 
> Let me know what you think! If you have anything you really want to read, let me know in the comments. ;D


	5. Chapter 5

When Yuuri was accepted into the _mara_ halls, he was eight years old and afraid. 

_I don't want to be an incubus! I want to stay here with you!_ he told his mother. She kissed his cheeks and patted his head, a smile on her face while her eyes filled with tears.

 _You'll be happier there, Yuuri,_ she told him, folding him in her warm embrace tightly one last time. Then she took him to Lilia Baranovskaya, and after that, Yuuri saw his family only a few times a year.

The distance was hard. He cried a lot, seeking the warmth and familiarity of home and finding it nowhere. He shut himself in his room and avoided the other _mara_ children. He didn't want to eat with them. He didn't want to play with them. He didn't want to have anything to do with them. In return, the other children bullied him and ignored him, and though it hurt almost as much as leaving his family, Yuuri accepted it. He didn't want anything else.

Christophe, who later told Yuuri to call him Chris unless he was truly upset with him, changed all that. He lived in the same hall as Yuuri and found him hiding in a closet one day after Yuuri had been chased there by some of the older incubi. He took one look at Yuuri's teary, snot-stricken face and decided that he would be Yuuri's friend. He picked Yuuri up and carried him out of the closet, despite being only a couple years older and hardly any bigger, and made everybody apologize to Yuuri, then made Yuuri apologize to everybody.

After that, Chris never left Yuuri alone. He made Yuuri eat with the other children, dragged him into social circles in the afternoons, and pushed Yuuri to attend his lessons. Even when Chris matured and became dangerously handsome, demons of all genders and races flocking to his open arms, he still made time to visit Yuuri, to make sure he was doing alright.

Until Yuuri met Phichit, Chris was his closest friend. Yuuri was never good at making friends; he couldn't open up to other people, even those he had known since he was a child. Still, _mara_ children had one social activity that few other demon races encouraged, and that was physical affection. Before they developed sexually, _mara_ children would spend hours cuddling and playing, an innocent activity that later blossomed when they became old enough for their secondary sexual traits to emerge.

Even Yuuri, shy as he was as a child, was no stranger to curling up next to a warm body and listening to people talk over him, sleepy and content. Mostly Chris' fault, since Chris dragged him to every cuddle pile in the building, until nobody thought that Yuuri was antisocial anymore. When Chris had moved away to the _ludus_ clan halls, Yuuri had withdrawn from the rest of the children, lost without his closest friend. He had never quite recovered, though he had still participated in community gatherings, both innocent and sexually charged. It was nice, having people he could go to if he was lonely. He wasn't good at making friends, but everybody in his clan accepted him and let him grow used to intimacy in his own time.

Some days Yuuri feels like he still doesn't know how to be intimate. The motions are easy -- the intimacy is not.

~*~

It takes exactly one week for Yuuri to snap at Viktor.

On paper, Yuuri has lived alone for more than half his life, but in the _mara_ dormitories, it is very rare for succubi and incubi not to end up in bed together and live in each other's pockets. Everyone has their own room for their personal effects and a safe space of their own, but most _mara_ sleep with their doors open and their beds available for anybody who needs a bit of intimacy. 

Before he turned sixteen, Yuuri spent eight years in dorms with other _mara_ children, learning the necessity of touch and play. Not sex, though after a certain age, that certainly went on behind closed (and open) doors, but the touch of play, of affection, of friendship and intimacy. Each clan is a community, an extended family, and Yuuri has long accepted physical bonding as a part of his life.

Living with Viktor is something else entirely. 

Viktor wants to do _everything_ with him. He frequently touches Yuuri, wrapping him up in hugs, tugging him across the room to look at something, holding hands with him when they walk to the rink. He makes meals and drinks for Yuuri and hangs off him while Yuuri tastes the dishes, lighting up whenever Yuuri pays him a compliment. His touches never stray further than friendly, but they are constant, giving Yuuri a never-ending glimpse into the mind of Viktor Nikiforov -- who seems to have no idea what he is doing to Yuuri's few remaining nerves.

Not only does Viktor touch him all the time, but also, he asks Yuuri to sleep with him. Every. Night.

Not sex. Never sex, just "bonding time with Yuuri." Viktor has respected Yuuri's space and not invaded his room, but every night he holds open his own bedroom door and smiles at Yuuri, a pillow under his arm, and invites him in to share the bed. Yuuri, flustered and completely flabbergasted, always says no, and Viktor respects his wish and goes to bed, leaving Yuuri to spend at least another hour with his face buried in his pillow in an attempt to smother himself.

Why he is refusing a place in Viktor's bed, where they could be having _sex_ , is beyond anybody's guess. Especially Yuuri's.

His room is nice, at least. The bed is surrounded by expansive windows that let in the morning sun, the headboard barely enough to block it out in the early mornings. Viktor wasted no expense on him, with gleaming silver lamps hanging over the bed and expensive artwork decorating the remaining walls. All of the furniture is beautiful and well-crafted, elegant in a way that Yuuri would never choose for himself, but he likes it. Already it smells like home, Yuuri's books and spell materials covering the dresser, his clothes filling the closet. It is certainly different from his apartment in the Underworld.

Viktor respects his space, too. He always knocks when he wants to ask Yuuri something and only enters the room after Yuuri has invited him in. He seems to understand that an incubus' personal space is important to them, not lingering long enough to leave his icy scent on any of Yuuri's belongings -- but that does not extend to Yuuri himself, as soon as Yuuri leaves the room.

He scents Yuuri _constantly._ If they were in the Underworld, Yuuri would be a walking advertisement for Viktor Nikiforov, and everybody would assume the worst about them. Viktor's antics are bad most of the time, but also worst at two times of the day: in the morning, after Yuuri has stumbled out of his room shortly after dawn and made his way to the kitchen island, where Viktor will take a break from cooking breakfast and drape himself over Yuuri, asking him how he slept and if he had any good dreams; and in the evening, after they have both been surrounded by humans all day, and Viktor contents himself with dragging Yuuri onto the sofa and nuzzling his neck for at least an hour.

Yuuri would be suspicious of his actions, if he didn't know with certainty that sex is never on Viktor's mind when he touches Yuuri. Any other demon would think of a live-in incubus as a live-in sex toy, but not Viktor Nikiforov. Yuuri isn't sure that the idea has even occurred to him. He hasn't felt desire from Viktor in days, and it _bothers_ him.

After several days of this constant touching, Yuuri is growing somewhat immune -- thought not immune enough, apparently, when Viktor surprises him just out of the shower.

After a long day at the rink, Yuuri is more than ready to sink into a hot bath and stay there for hours. Viktor's training regimen has been harsh from the onset, pushing Yuuri to exhaustion every day, to the point that he barely stays awake past dinner. He has little time to think of seduction, let alone dwell on the feelings that Viktor inspires. 

He misses the hot springs at Hasetsu, where he could soak all night and feel rejuvenated the next morning. He would rather soak, but Viktor tells him to be quick, though, so Yuuri only takes a shower, taking time to wash the sweat and human scents off his body. He would really like to take off the glamour entirely and release his wings, but he still hasn't let Viktor see his demon form, and so far has not seen Viktor's, either.

The apartment is layered in spell upon spell, to the point that Yuuri isn't entirely sure how many wards and spells Viktor has wrapped around the space. He must have written them in the walls, even in the glass of the windows -- possibly even the foundation stones of the entire building. The few Yuuri recognizes protect the apartment from scrying, from human nosiness, and from the elements. He is certain that there are yet more, since Viktor seems determined to avoid any and all demon interaction.

The few times Yuuri has noticed another demon in the city, Viktor has pointedly ignored them, wrapping his magic a little more tightly around Yuuri to keep them both from garnering any attention. He wonders what would happen if another demon came to seduce Viktor -- not another _mara_ , certainly, at least not one of the clan halls, since Yuuri is on the task... but _mara_ are not the only demons determined to sink their claws into Viktor Nikiforov.

"Yuuri! Are you done yet?"

 _Ah._ He must have taken longer than he thought. With a sigh, Yuuri combs back his hair and turns the water off, stepping out of the shower to dry his body and dress in loose sleeping pants, picking up his shirt. When he leaves the washroom, one that he shares with Viktor, he is greeted by Makkachin, her tail thumping on the hardwood floor when she sees him.

"Hey, Makkachin," Yuuri greets softly, leaning down to rub her soft ears, smiling when she presses her cold nose to his cheek. "Did you miss me that much?" She woofs in response, her tail wagging harder, and Yuuri grins and pulls his shirt over his head.

"No fair, Makkachin! I wanted to cuddle Yuuri first," pouts Viktor from behind her, and Yuuri jumps a bit, quickly putting his arms into his sleeves as he straightens. Yuuri opens his mouth to reply, and he doesn't even get a word out before Viktor wraps him up in his arms, joyfully rubbing his nose below Yuuri's ear, which sends a shiver right up his spine.

Maybe it's because Viktor has been scent-marking him for a week with no relief. Maybe it is the fact that Yuuri doesn't even have his shirt on all the way. Maybe it is because Yuuri's frustration has been brewing, simmering beneath his placid exterior, every time he touches Viktor and feels nothing but innocent affection.

"Viktor," Yuuri snaps, laying one hand on Viktor's chest and pushing him back, "can you please stop for one minute? My hair isn't even dry."

Viktor blinks a few times, his gaze dropping to Yuuri's hand pressing against his grey sweater, before his face falls in an overly dramatic way. Yuuri just barely resists rolling his eyes. "Yuuri! Why do you push me away? What have I done to deserve such treatment?" he asks, an edge of a whine to his voice.

Yuuri huffs and steps around him, rubbing the towel furiously through his hair. He makes a point to wipe the damp terrycloth against his neck where Viktor had stuck his nose. "I'd like to smell like myself for a little while instead of you, if you don't mind," he replies, then flushes at his forward words. He doesn't take them back, though, quickly making his way to the couch and flopping down against the cushions, his cheeks burning.

Viktor doesn't reply for a moment, and Yuuri finally looks over his shoulder, seeing Viktor standing still in the hallway, blinking dazedly. He frowns, draping the towel around his neck. "Viktor?"

"Mm?" Viktor starts a little and looks at him, and Yuuri doesn't know what to make of his expression. Then his face falls a bit, and he takes a few steps toward Yuuri, then stops in the middle of the room, looking unsure with himself. "Do I really scent-mark you that often?"

Yuuri stares blankly at him, not noticing as a drop of water slides down the side of his face, nor how Viktor follows the errant drop with his eyes. Instead he is thinking of all the times Viktor has embraced him and rubbed his crisp scent into Yuuri's neck, his clothes, every part of him that he can reach. "You hadn't noticed?"

His shoulders hunching slightly with a wince, Viktor drops into one of the chairs at the counter opposite the kitchen, spinning to face Yuuri. "I really hadn't. Have I been bad about it?" He distractedly reaches down to pat Makkachin's cheek when she presses against his knee.

"It's as if you pissed on me to make a claim," Yuuri says flatly, then flushes immediately at the coarse language. Viktor sits up a bit in surprise, but Yuuri shakes his head, drops of water flicking off his hair. "I-I mean, it's just, it's very strong. You're always touching me, and..." He trails off, shrugging and pressing the end of his towel to his mouth. He doesn't want to admit that he _likes_ the touches.

Silence settles between them, until Viktor breaks it with a soft breath of laughter, dry and a little bemused. "I'm sorry, Yuuri. If you can't tell, I don't spend a lot of time with other demons. I seem to have forgotten the proper behavior that would be expected of me in the Underworld. I just... like your scent. It's intoxicating." 

Yuuri breathes in softly and looks up, eyes wide, but Viktor avoids his gaze, sliding out of the chair and reaching down to pick up Makkachin in his arms, hardly caring that she is a big dog. He walks over to the couch and lets Makkachin jump down onto Yuuri, who falls back with a short exclamation, grinning down at them as Makkachin happily settles on Yuuri's stomach.

"I'll just have to let Makkachin take care of you! She's too cute to deny, isn't she? Isn't that right, Makkachin?" Viktor coos in that voice he reserves solely for Makkachin, who licks Yuuri's face in agreement. Yuuri sputters a bit, his face heating up as Viktor turns away, watching the odd tension in Viktor's shoulders and feeling it seep into his chest with a faint ache.

"I don't mind it if it's you, either," Yuuri mumbles, then hides his face in Makkachin's fur when he notices Viktor pause at the words. He takes a deep breath, then hesitantly continues, "Just maybe tone it down a little."

He hears a small exhalation, before a hand lands on his damp hair, long fingers stroking his bangs back behind his ear before Viktor walks away. Yuuri breathes out a shaky sigh, hugging Makkachin a little tighter, glad for the small affection and the rueful acceptance he felt from Viktor.

It's frustrating living with Viktor, but he thinks he can handle it. If he can carve out a comfortable space for both of them, and somehow not jump Viktor at the same time, that would be fantastic.

If only it were that easy.

~*~

It is not that easy.

"Yuuri!" calls Viktor from across the apartment one morning in March. Moments later, he skids on his socks into the kitchen, waving a bundle of papers in his hand. "Yuuri, I got your papers from the JSF! You're registered for next season!" He beams and pushes the papers into Yuuri's face, not minding that Yuuri has one sock in hand and is braced awkwardly against the counter.

Yuuri catches himself against the counter before he falls, taking the papers with furrowed eyebrows. The papers are in Japanese, which he gives a cursory glance before starting at the top to read thoroughly. Viktor hovers beside him, nearly vibrating with eagerness, which Yuuri struggles to ignore, since Viktor isn't even wearing a shirt.

He uses the papers as a shield for a long moment, his gaze flicking across Viktor's bare chest. Even wearing a human glamour, he is rather attractive, fit and muscular from long years as an athlete. Yuuri licks his lips and forces his gaze back to the paper, reading quietly.

"Ah," Yuuri says after a few moments, "that's why you asked me what my hobbies were." He carefully folds the papers and sets them on the counter, leaning over to pull on his sock properly.

"That's all you have to say?" Viktor exclaims, and Yuuri glances up to see the beginnings of a pout. He curses in his head, not looking forward to a day of Viktor sulking at him while also coaching -- it never turns out well for either of them. "It took a lot to get your registration to go through! I had to bribe all sorts of people!"

"I somehow doubt that," Yuuri tells him, ready to escape and find his shoes before Viktor can start whining, though he suddenly freezes when Viktor steps in close to him, bracing his arms on either side of Yuuri against the counter. Yuuri leans back, staring up at him with wide eyes as Viktor's scent washes over him, cool and crisp as ever, matching the energy that burns in his chest.

Viktor has stopped scent-marking him, for the most part, though his touches are no less frequent -- and they are no less distracting to Yuuri, for all that Viktor doesn't mean anything by it. He has also stopped asking Yuuri to sleep together every night -- now it is only every few nights. Yuuri is both frustrated and relieved by Viktor's decreased attempts to invade his personal space.

"Yuuri," Viktor says, low and clear as the wind on a cold night. Yuuri squeezes his eyes shut to block out the piercing blue of Viktor's intent stare. "Don't you have something else to say about this? Hm?"

A beat passes. "I should thank the Japan Skating Federation," Yuuri muses, peeking up at Viktor, his lips twitching when Viktor's face morphs into a pout again, and he ducks out of Viktor's arms before Viktor can get revenge. "Go put a shirt on, Viktor, it's freezing outside."

"Ice demon, if you remember," Viktor retorts, then sighs and trudges back to his room at Yuuri's stare. Yuuri breathes out a small sigh of relief, his gaze lingering on Viktor's toned back, before he averts his gaze, pushing up his glasses.

Even after his talk with Chris, Yuuri is still unsure of his own attraction. Since he came to live with Viktor, he has gradually relaxed into the schedule Viktor arranged for him: wake up early, practice until midday, work out in the afternoons, shower, and sleep, with meals in between and free time on the weekends. Rinse and repeat, until Yuuri cannot even think of his desire, as he is too distracted and overwhelmed by Viktor's strict training. Whatever else lingers between them, Viktor seems intent on making Yuuri a top figure skater in time for the next season, which starts in less than six months.

He is not Viktor's only skating student, though he is the oldest, it seems. The other two will be done with their competitions in April, and Yuuri hardly notices them, since Viktor is able to coach all three of them easily every day. He doesn't know the other two students, both of them humans, and he doubts they care for him, either. Viktor has already said they will be signing with new coaches after this season; Yuuri will soon be his only student.

Viktor also has ice dancing shows lined up on the weekends, which he gives Yuuri a free ticket to see every time. Thinking of Minami and how he would squeal with envy, Yuuri goes to every performance, sitting in the back row unseen and watching Viktor skate to all genres of music, his heart giving a small jolt every time Viktor glances at him across the ice.

It's been nice, in a word. Yuuri still catches himself staring at Viktor's mouth and thinking of ways to put it to better use than whining, but he keeps that entirely in his own head and refuses to touch Viktor when his less innocent thoughts crowd his conscious.

Viktor seems happy to spoil him. Yuuri has tried multiple times to tell Viktor he doesn't need to go to such lengths for him, but Viktor usually turns a deaf ear on Yuuri when he starts insisting Viktor doesn't need to pay for everything. He wonders how much human money Viktor has banked over the years; compared to Yuuri, who keeps his supply of money in an account at a demon-run bank, it must be frighteningly large.

It was February in the human world when Yuuri first met Viktor, and even a month later, the weather has hardly changed. Icy cold and perfectly suitable for Viktor's powers, though too cold for Yuuri, who has not lived in such a cold place before. He ends up giving a credit card to Viktor and letting him shop for new winter clothes, sportswear, and other supplies for Yuuri, though he suspects that Viktor ignored the card completely and used his own apparently infinite supply of money -- or worse, manipulated human currency again. At this point, Yuuri isn't going to argue ethics with him, not if it means he has a new woolen coat that will block out the frigid St. Petersburg wind.

He is finally getting used to the weather, at least a little. If only Yuuri could get used to Viktor himself.

~*~

It is Sunday, and Yuuri is sleeping late. It is the one day Viktor doesn't make him train, and Yuuri takes every advantage of the late morning, the curtains pulled closed against the grey light of Russia, though a few errant beams cast long streaks across the floor and Yuuri's bed. He is dreaming of lovely things, of heat wrapped around him, of wind beneath his wings, of Viktor laughing with a beer in his hand. With a long, contented sigh, Yuuri curls into his pillow, the blanket falling low on his bare hips.

Something leathery brushes his shoulder, and Yuuri opens his eyes partway, noticing a familiar black shape beside him. _My glamour wore off_ , he thinks sleepily, running a finger down one of the tendons in his wing. He had been rather exhausted last night -- Viktor had insisted upon going out drinking after his spectacular performance on the ice, and Yuuri had been dragged along, much to his begrudging amusement. They had stayed out far too late, but seeing Viktor in such high spirits had been very nice.

Yuuri doesn't feel like putting up the glamour just yet. He feels too good, warm and cozy despite his apparent lack of clothes, and he could lie here all day if he could get away with it. He's surprised that Viktor hasn't knocked on his door yet -- but then perhaps Viktor is also hungover and avoiding consciousness.

Yuuri smiles at the thought and closes his eyes again.

Not long later, he hears a soft scratch at the door. "Makkachin," Yuuri mumbles, waving a hand at the door and sending a clumsy spell at it. The door clicks open, and Makkachin enters the room, nails tapping on the hardwood floor as she runs in and jumps on the bed. Yuuri groans when she immediately starts sniffing his wings with interest, shivering when her cold nose bumps the sensitive skin. "Makkachin, do you need to go out?" She huffs at him, and that is enough of an answer for Yuuri. Viktor is definitely not awake if Makkachin still needs to go outside.

"Gimme a minute," Yuuri sighs into his pillow, waving his hand vaguely, and Makkachin hops off the bed again to leave, the tap of her toenails moving away from the room. Bracing himself for parting with his beloved pillow, Yuuri pushes himself up and leans back on his legs, the blanket falling off him. With a groan, low and deep, he stretching his arms above his head, then each of his wings, the black leather unfurling from the small of his back in graceful arches. Would that he could go flying...

He thinks of Viktor's smile last night as he laughed at a joke, silver hair falling over his handsome features, and his body throbs briefly, his sex giving an interested twitch. Yuuri frowns down at his lap, tempted for a moment, but then he hears a noise at the door.

"Makkachin? Oh," he says, reaching up to the horns curling out from his temples in black spirals, realizing he must look frightening to an Overworld dog. He's surprised she hasn't started barking at him. Concentrating, Yuuri casts his glamour spell, the horns vanishing and his hair falling in his face, the wings folding into his back and disappearing. Then he climbs out of bed and goes to find some clothes, wishing he had time to jerk himself off, but he doesn't want to make Makkachin wait.

A few minutes later, Yuuri leaves his room and walks over to the door where Makkachin is waiting by his boots, yawning. He pauses when he notices someone in the kitchen, blinking to see Viktor standing at the counter, staring intently down at the lone coffee maker. "Oh, good morning. Did you already take Makkachin out?"

Viktor starts slightly, and Yuuri frowns a little, realizing Viktor must have a headache. "Sorry," he says more quietly. Viktor casts a glance over his shoulder at Yuuri, a faint flush to his cheeks. He doesn't say anything for a moment, half-lidded blue eyes briefly running down Yuuri's body then back up to his face, then turns back around to poke at the coffee maker.

"Just got up," Viktor finally replies, a gravelly edge to his usually smooth voice, and it sends another fissure of heat through Yuuri. His pheromones must seep through a little, because Viktor twitches, and Yuuri is quick to reign them in.

"I'll take her out, then," Yuuri says, walking to where Makkachin is patiently waiting and sliding his feet into his boots, his mind lingering on Viktor's messy hair and flushed expression, so unlike his usual prim appearance.

He kind of likes seeing Viktor like that, unkempt and on edge. Would that he were the one to put Viktor in such a state...

Yuuri is quick to shake that thought out of his head, clipping the leash onto Makkachin and heading out. She waits out the elevator ride patiently, though she runs to the park across the street, Yuuri following hurriedly. He rubs his arms while he waits for Makkachin to do her business, breathing out small white puffs of air, and unerringly his gaze finds the highest window in Viktor's building, where Viktor is undoubtedly bullying the coffee maker into submission.

He smiles a little at the thought. "Can you really believe it's been over a month, Makkachin?" Yuuri asks when Makkachin returns to his side, reigning in her leash and making his way back to the building. The doorman waves him in, and Yuuri nods his head awkwardly, still unused to living in such a place.

Halfway up the elevator ride, it hits Yuuri that he hasn't gone to see Lilia yet. It's been almost six weeks.

"Crap," he mutters, frowning as Makkachin leads him back to Viktor's apartment. When he pushes open the door, he catches the heavenly scents of breakfast, and he groans a little, his stomach rumbling. After hanging Makkachin's leash up and leaving his boots and coat by the door, Yuuri wanders barefoot into the kitchen, peeking over Viktor's shoulder at the pan of _syrniki_ frying gently in oil.

"You haven't made those in a while," Yuuri says, making Viktor jump.

"Yuuri, you're back!" Viktor cries, spinning around and throwing his arms around Yuuri's shoulders. Yuuri flushes a little, then jumps when the oil pops.

"Viktor, you're in the middle of cooking!" he admonishes, gently nudging Viktor's hands off him. Viktor sighs deeply but turns back to the pan, gently turning over the pancakes.

"How can I resist it when Yuuri sneaks up on me like this? A few burnt _syrniki_ are well worth a moment with you in my arms," Viktor sighs with a flourish, and Yuuri's face turns red.

"I thought you were hungover," he mutters, edging back to one of the chairs opposite the island and sitting down. Viktor grins at him, his eyes bright and no longer dulled with the ache of too much alcohol. Yuuri has to look away, thinking he is unfairly pretty this morning, and he watches Viktor cook for a little while.

The _syrniki_ are moved to plates and dusted with powdered sugar and fresh raspberries, garnished with a healthy dollop of sour cream. Viktor had made these for Yuuri once before, back in the first few days of their agreement, and he had rather liked them for their soft, creamy taste and crispy outside. Usually in the mornings they have porridge before Viktor drags him to practice, but sometimes on the weekends, Viktor will make something special, since they have the time. Yuuri admittedly likes sitting at the island table and watching Viktor cook, since he has an easy view of the stove and Viktor's relaxed, smiling face.

He might be a little selfish. At this point, Yuuri can't bring himself to care -- his life is better than it has ever been, and it is all thanks to Viktor. He is still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but at least he has energy, a nice place to stay, and Viktor, who seems to understand him without Yuuri ever having to explain a thing.

Some days he isn't sure if Viktor is real. He's just that perfect.

Viktor smiles as he sets the plates in front of Yuuri, fetching steaming cups of tea to accompany the meal and sitting beside him. "We have nothing to do today, so why not have a nice breakfast? Try them, Yuuri!"

A smile touches Yuuri's lips, thinking a relaxing day with Viktor sounds rather nice, before it slips away into a frown when he remembers his responsibility. Ignoring that thought for a moment, Yuuri dips a piece of _syrniki_ into the sour cream and takes a bite, his eyes closing in pleasure at the creamy taste. "Perfect," he says without opening his eyes. Usually his diet is rather strict, given his intense practice and workout regimen, but it's nice when Viktor spoils him like this.

They dig in, and Viktor fills the silence with chatter about possibly taking Makkachin to a dog park or going shopping, two of his favorite activities. Yuuri nods along, staying quiet and regretting it as Viktor grows more animated, his fork cutting through the air as he weaves his hands in a story.

"-- and then, we'll pick up groceries and come home, and I'll make you something tasty," Viktor sings, and Yuuri sighs a little, cutting him off.

"I need to go to the Underworld for a little while, actually. But I should be back by this afternoon."

Viktor stops talking abruptly, and Yuuri can feel his vivid gaze fastened to the side of Yuuri's face. Yuuri doesn't dare look at him, sipping his tea slowly, feeling bad for ruining Viktor's plans. "Why?" Viktor asks after a moment, and Yuuri sighs.

"I need to meet with Lilia- _neesan._ I'm supposed to meet with her every month, to give her updates on... er, my seduction of you," he mutters, frowning down at his empty plate. "I forgot."

"She wants updates from you? Isn't that a little overbearing?" Viktor wonders, shifting in his chair to face Yuuri, who shrugs down at his tea. He isn't about to explain all the intricacies of his contract with Lilia to Viktor.

"It's required," is all he says in reply, before he looks up at Viktor, a little hesitant. "I wouldn't mind going to the dog park with you when we get back, if you'll wait."

For a moment Viktor only watches him, his lips pursed as he considers Yuuri's words, before a smile blossoms on his face again, slow and easy. Yuuri breathes out a little at the sight of it, an echo of this morning's heat pulsing through his body for a moment, before he shakes it off. "Makkachin and I will wait for you, then," Viktor assures him, catching Yuuri's hand and squeezing it.

For a moment it feels like Viktor is squeezing his heart instead. Yuuri averts his gaze, his face warming. He hopes he will make it through his meeting with Lilia.

~*~

"Enter."

Yuuri hurries into Lilia's office at her summons, going to stand meekly in front of the chair in front of her desk, folding his wings demurely across his back. He is dressed smartly for once, sleek black slacks and a silk black shirt that is bared open at the throat, showing off his black collar. A small show of respect to apologize for the lateness of the overdue meeting. Lilia's gaze sweeps over him, before she nods, pulling Yuuri's energy converter out of thin air.

Yuuri glances at it a bit nervously, but it looks as low as ever, which means it has not read any of Viktor's energy. Likely because it is not sexual in nature, but elemental. 

"I'm sorry for not meeting you sooner, Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri says quietly, bowing. Lilia waves a hand at him.

"You are forgiven. Sit, Yuuri, and tell me about Viktor Nikiforov. I hope that your tardiness means good things?"

Yuuri swallows, feeling the faintest pull of Viktor's spell on his throat. "Things are... progressing," he finally ventures after dithering for a moment. "I've been training with him, and we talk every day. He seems to like me a lot. I haven't seduced him yet though," he says, truly rueful, and Lilia nods, looking unsurprised, though her keen green eyes linger on Yuuri thoughtfully.

"He is a challenging one. How are you for energy? This assignation does not have a time limit, but you may still seek other lovers if you are unable to meet your own energy needs. As it is, here is this month's allowance." Lilia pulls a small bag from thin air and sends it floating over to Yuuri, who catches it, fumbling with the strings. 

Yuuri stares down at the bag, bewildered at the frighteningly small number of energy crystals within it -- if he wasn't taking energy from Viktor, then this would barely keep him alive. He had forgotten, for a time, how badly he had been doing before Viktor swept into his life, before Lilia took him under her wing. What will he do after his time with Viktor is done?

The thought chills him.

"Thank you, Lilia- _neesan._ I might visit my former clients, then. Viktor is... frustrating sometimes," he admits, truthful, thinking of Viktor's small, private smile that leaves him burning sometimes. He might need to visit one of his clients sooner than later -- Viktor drives him mad, some days.

"Very good. We will meet at the normal time next month, and I look forward to hearing about your progress." She turns back to the papers on his desk, then pauses, her gaze flicking up. "Yuuri, what is your schedule? For your heat."

Yuuri blinks at her, thrown for a moment, before it hits him, and he blushes. "Um, two months."

Every incubus and succubus goes into heat. Usually once every few years, sometimes more often depending on their needs. Unlike other demons, _mara_ heats do not signal fertility -- instead they grant _mara_ the ability to draw energy from any type of sex they have, no matter what type of _mara_ they are. Yuuri tends to go into heat once a year, since he is always low on energy.

Yuuri has always spent his heats in the safety of the clan halls. No _mara_ is ever forced to spend it outside of the Underworld, because of the danger of losing oneself to lust. Yuuri usually spends it alone, since masturbation works just as well as sex with another person, or with Chris if he offers, and he has never had a problem with it before.

"Mm, and will you be returning for it? The heat halls are always open to you."

Yuuri considers what might happen if he went into heat while training with Viktor. Living with Viktor. Alone with Viktor -- he shudders and has to clear his mind, tightening his control on his pheromones. From the way Lilia raises her eyebrows, he doubts she missed his reaction, but she doesn't draw attention to it. "I'll probably come back here," Yuuri says after a moment. Better safe than sorry.

"Very good. Let me know if anything changes. You are dismissed," Lilia says, her attention returning to her desk, and Yuuri bows again before escaping as quickly as is polite.

At least his heat isn't for another two months.

~*~

When Yuuri returns to the Overworld, appearing in the spell circle he painted onto a black cloth and laid in the corner of his room, he sighs and calls the spell for his glamour, his glasses appearing in his hand. As he sets them on his nose, he removes his shoes and slides his bare feet into his house slippers, before quietly leaving the room and looking around for Viktor.

He needn't look far. Viktor is asleep on the couch with Makkachin snoozing on his chest, both deep in sleep. Makkachin doesn't even stir as Yuuri approaches on silent feet, and when his gaze lands on Viktor, Yuuri's breath catches in his throat.

He is achingly beautiful. Silvery eyelashes brushing his cheek, his lips parted slightly, and Yuuri is suddenly, painfully tempted to kiss him, to see if his lips are as soft as they look. He doesn't dare move within arm's reach, not wanting to lose whatever sliver of control he still has on his desire. If he took a step closer, he would be close enough to touch Viktor... to lean down and press their lips together --

As if sensing his heated gaze, Viktor stretches a little, craning his head back and sighing, wetting his lips with a flick of his tongue.

Yuuri buries his head in his hands, mortified by the intense pulse of _want_. He is so far gone.

Thankfully Makkachin wakes then and notices Yuuri, and by the time Viktor has dragged himself out of his nap, Yuuri has mostly gotten his expression back under control.

Only the faintest blush remains, and if Viktor notices it, he doesn't say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Yes, Viktor totally saw Yuuri's nude demon form from behind ;D~~
> 
> (Fun fact of the day: Russians LOVE sour cream and mayonnaise. Imagine Victor and Yurio putting that on everything. You're welcome.)
> 
> [Recipe for syrniki!](http://natashaskitchen.com/2012/02/16/ukrainian-syrniki-recipe/)
> 
> Happy New Year!!! Remember, every comment makes 2017 more awesome!!!
> 
> Edit: Also! The amazing @zipra drew art for this story!!! [Go check it out, give all the likes and adoration!!!](http://zipra.tumblr.com/post/155001311660/fic-rec-of-the-day-when-the-ice-melts-in-the-snow) Thank you!!!
> 
> Edit 2: check out [Viktor's point of view](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9176764) of the Sunday morning scene! ;D


	6. Chapter 6

The thought of his heat looms in the back of Yuuri's mind, so he does his best to ignore it completely. Instead he focuses on Viktor's training, and in the rush of choosing music for routines, learning and perfecting quads, and living up to Viktor's rigorous demands, Yuuri gets used to a life outside of the Underworld.

Skating is just as demanding as his _mara_ lessons, and Yuuri loves every moment that he spends on the ice. Landing a jump just right, gliding across the ice serenely, spinning so fast that his head spins... he loves it all. He falls in love with the ice every time he practices, and every day, Viktor skates alongside him, sometimes practicing his own routines, but more often than not, he works with Yuuri, coaxing him into becoming a better figure skater.

Somehow, Yuuri is very good at figure skating. He isn't sure whether it is his former lessons in ballet and dancing, or if it is something in Viktor's coaching, but Yuuri works harder than he ever has before. Perhaps a combination -- Yuuri always liked dancing, because he could express himself through dance far more easily than everyday interaction or sex, and he finds that same ease of emotion in his skating. Viktor coaches him through the technical elements -- the different jumps, poses, and movements that he must know and master to compete properly.

When the two come together... it is like flying. Yuuri cannot describe the feeling of a successful dance on the ice. He never wants it to end.

Viktor has been very impressed with his dancing. At least two afternoons a week are dedicated to the dance studio, where Viktor watches Yuuri dance out routines that he puts every effort into, because he wants to impress Viktor. It works, too -- Viktor ends up exclaiming over the music in Yuuri's body more times than not, sometimes even interrupting the dance to grab Yuuri's hands and spin him around in delight.

_"Beautiful, Yuuri! Excellent! That dip you made at the end, it's just like an Ina Bauer! I'll teach it to you tomorrow!"_

And Yuuri blushes every time, happy that Viktor is so pleased.

Some days it feels like cheating, to use his demonic powers and physical prowess to ace the abilities Viktor teaches him. Yet Yuuri feels most at home on the ice, far more than he ever felt in somebody's bed, as if he was always meant to skate. Some days he feels jealous of Viktor, of the fact that he was born an ice demon when Yuuri was born into an unfortunate set of genes that he never wanted and only barely manages on his own. He wishes he had Viktor's powers, so that he could gain energy from humans' love for the ice, too -- but instead he merely leeches off Viktor himself, and not in the way his body most craves.

Even though he had mentioned it to Lilia, Yuuri chooses not to spend his lusts on past clients. Instead he suppresses those urges, to the point that he stops dreaming of sex. He dreams of ice instead, and the burn of Viktor's icy energy in his chest soothes him to sleep every night.

It surprises him one day, to realize how much he has suppressed his own instincts, when he walks in on two people having sex. 

It is late at the rink, and Yuuri has already showered and changed into casual clothes, nice enough for Viktor's approval (considering Viktor bought him the tie, which still bewilders Yuuri). He landed a quad salchow today for the first time, and Viktor wants to treat him to dinner, which Yuuri is looking forward to. Viktor is taking forever in the locker room as usual, so Yuuri walks into the rink to wait, relieved that everybody but the staff has left for the day. Sometimes he likes to sit and watch the ice, and if Viktor had not invited him out to eat, Yuuri would probably lace his skates back on and steal another hour or so of time on the ice.

He doesn't even notice them at first when he walks into the rink to wait for Viktor, instead thinking about the meeting he will have with Lilia in a few days, until he steps on a forgotten article of clothing. When he looks up, frowning about the mess somebody didn't bother to clean up, he stops short, his mouth closing abruptly as he breathes in the scent of sex. 

The two humans are oblivious to him, engaged deeply in their physical attraction to each other. Yuuri stares at them for a long moment, thinking objectively about the two women and their obvious passion, and he can even sense the love between them. Girlfriends, likely, maybe even married. A bond he can appreciate, but not one that he wants to intrude on -- and it shocks him a little, to realize he has no intention of joining, or even absorbing the extra energy. Any other _mara_ would take advantage immediately for the free energy.

Any _mara_ worth their salt would have known about the sex before even stepping into the room.

Instead Yuuri turns away and walks silently back to the hallway to wait for Viktor, crossing his arms and pressing his back to the wall as he stares down at the floor. Now that he is aware of it, he can feel the sexual energy in the building, teeming, and it chafes at him, reminding him of the instincts he prefers to ignore. The dreamlike world on the ice is only a fantasy, and one that will not sustain Yuuri for the rest of his life -- his body was made for sex.

He's really starting to hate sex. With a faint scowl, Yuuri wonders if he could utilize magic to become an ice demon like Viktor. Probably the darkest of arcane magic could do it, but it could kill him in the process. Still might be better than depending on sex for energy for the rest of his life.

The door to the changing room opens, and Viktor steps out amidst a cloud of steam, wearing only a pair of dress slacks, a button-up shirt hanging over his arm and a tie in either hand. "Yuuri," he whines a little, stopping in front of Yuuri and holding up the two ties, "which do you like better? I want to look perfect for our date tonight!"

Yuuri doesn't even hear him. His gaze is fixed on Viktor's naked chest, where a few droplets of water are sliding down. One of them finds the curve of Viktor's nipple, pink and hardened in the cool air of the hallway, and Yuuri licks his lips, tempted to follow the droplet with his tongue and show Viktor exactly how good he is at --

"Which tie, Yuuri?"

Abruptly Yuuri realizes exactly where his thoughts are headed and covers the embarrassed squeak that threatens to leave his mouth, looking away quickly. "Sorry, didn't hear you," he mumbles beneath his hand, swallowing against his dry throat. He can't bear to look at Viktor again, lest he start fantasizing about his body again, like his neck, where instead of a tie Viktor could wear a line of marks left by Yuuri's lips --

"Yuuri?"

Yuuri slaps his cheeks to snap himself out of it. Viktor stares at him, surprised by the action, and Yuuri hurriedly points to the red tie and ducks away from Viktor. "I'm going outside!" he calls without looking back, seeking the brisk late April wind to cool off his flaming cheeks.

Apparently the problem isn't sex itself -- it is sex with anybody but Viktor. Yuuri squeezes his eyes shut, mortified by his own reactions. Chris had warned him that _eros_ demons could fixate on certain individuals in their attraction, but this is ridiculous. It should be ridiculous! Especially since Viktor is a demon, too!

Yuuri has never had a demon client, though Lilia has hinted that he could have them in the future. Chris and a few other _mara_ are the only demons he has had sex with it, and Yuuri prefers it that way -- he would rather focus on humans, who are safe targets. Humans cannot use magic, nor can they see through his disguises, nor do they care whether he acts according to stereotypes about sex demons.

He has been propositioned, of course. An ifrit's _egi_ once cornered him on the street and whispered in his ear, "I bet my fire can't even burn you," and Yuuri had been terrified at the very idea. Another time, a dryad had asked him to perform at a party they were having, but Yuuri had blushingly refused, not wanting to do anything in front of so many demons. 

The worst had been an _oni_ , in the Overworld of all places, who had caught him walking past _Nijinomatsubara_ on his way to his family's inn one night. The _oni_ had caught him in long claws and demanded that Yuuri sate his lusts, and when Yuuri had refused, the _oni_ had nearly become violent. Yuuri had run, the other demon's words echoing in his ears.

_"So you'll whore yourself out down there, but you won't bend over up here? Fucking bitch."_

It scares him. The Underworld has its own ideas of _mara_ , thinking them sluts, or willful bodies to be used for sex, or any other number of derogatory fantasies. Yuuri was raised with the rest of _mara_ demons to expect respect from other demons, no matter the urges of their bodies. Pity the rest of the Underworld doesn't see it that way.

Sometimes Yuuri admits that his fears are a little out of proportion. People like Chris have sex with other demons all the time. He is probably the anomaly, like the rest of his weird quirks. He isn't sure which idea is more depressing.

The door to the ice rink opens, and the staff spill out, laughing and chatting as Viktor locks up behind them. Yuuri spots the two lovers among them, holding hands and grinning at each other, and he looks away, studying the St. Petersburg skyline until someone stops beside him.

"Alright?" Viktor asks quietly. Yuuri cautiously lifts his gaze to look at Viktor, breathing out a little to see him clad in his usual coat and green scarf. He doesn't believe Viktor thinks of him as a whore -- no, Viktor has only been respectful, even kind to him, giving him energy every day, feeding him and spending time with him. He could even say they are friends, now. Never mind that Yuuri is strongly attracted to Viktor's body -- he also likes Viktor himself. He likes spending time with Viktor, who is silly and funny and makes cute faces when he pouts, who loves his dog and pushes Yuuri harder than anybody else ever has, who celebrates Yuuri's every win and isn't afraid to lecture Yuuri when he loses -- and he could see himself staying here for the rest of his life. He likes this quiet sort of life, with icy energy in his drinks and the thrill of skating across the ice... and Viktor.

But his body cannot live on elemental energy alone. If it could, Yuuri would spend the rest of his days in Hasetsu with his family.

He needs sex, but he prefers Viktor's ice -- and yet, it's not what he really _wants_ , and that is what scares Yuuri most of all.

"I'm okay," he says quietly, taking Viktor's hand and letting him lead him away. Even in April, St. Petersburg has slush and ice on the ground, and the sky overhead is heavy with clouds, ready to release rain at the faintest brush of wind. Yuuri shivers a little, and in response Viktor pulls him a little closer, their sides pressing together.

"You're not wearing a scarf," Viktor says quietly, and Yuuri groans at the reminder. He forgot it in his rush to escape.

"The rink is already locked up, isn't it?" he sighs, and Viktor hums in agreement.

He watches Viktor lift a hand, his fingers beginning to glow, but the sound of human laughter behind him pauses the spell before it can be cast. Instead, Viktor slows and pulls Yuuri into the hollow of a stairwell, reaching up to unravel his own scarf, then wrapping it around Yuuri's neck, enveloping him in warmth and Viktor's scent. Yuuri stays very still, staring at him with wide eyes, as Viktor gently tucks the ends of the scarf into Yuuri's coat and winks at him, taking Yuuri's hand again with a small smile.

"You don't need it as long as I'm here."

 _But how long will you be here?_ Yuuri wonders, and he ducks his head at the thought, covering his mouth in the folds of the scarf before he can say the words out loud. Someday he will have to go back to the Underworld and take up assignations again.

_I don't want that. I want to skate. I want to stay with Viktor._

Viktor's hand tightens a bit around Yuuri's fingers, before he leads him into a restaurant in a tall building made of stone and shining glass. Viktor must have made a reservation, because within a few minutes he has them both seated at a cozy table that overlooks an expansive dance floor. It is another of many nice restaurants that Viktor likes to take Yuuri to, and though Yuuri is no stranger to fine dining, he still feels shy in the presence of so much glamor.

After they order their first drinks and an appetizer, Yuuri watches Viktor disappear behind the bar without any of the humans noticing, to spell the ice machine to demon standards again. When Viktor returns, he winks at Yuuri and leans back in his chair with the satisfaction of a king looking over his court. Yuuri smiles softly, watching the twinkle in Viktor's eye as he turns to study the dancing couples, and wonders what Viktor would do if Yuuri leaned over for a kiss.

At that, Yuuri has to look away, and he covers his mouth with his hand, as if to stop his lips from following the thought.

He still has no idea who Viktor is or why he is hiding. He has not asked, and Viktor has not told. Yuuri is starting to think that it doesn't matter, in the end. He likes Viktor for who he is, likes spending time with him, likes living with him -- maybe even loves it a little.

_Oh._

His eyes widen a little at the realization, and he glances up over the rim of his glasses, watching Viktor for a moment. Viktor notices the attention immediately and turns to smile at him, his eyes warm with amusement and happiness.

"Do you like it, Yuuri?" Viktor asks, his smile widening, and again Yuuri has to resist the urge to kiss him.

"Maybe a little too much," Yuuri says without thinking, then covers his mouth again. When the server returns and sets two tall glasses of amber liquid in front of them, Yuuri is quick to busy his mouth with drinking, lest he get tempted by other, more pleasurable activities.

The thought turns into a fantasy, of the expression Viktor might make if Yuuri really did kiss him, and Yuuri groans, wanting to cover his face. He cannot deal with this. He _can't._ So, instead of dealing with his feelings, Yuuri decides to take part in a time-honored tradition that has been passed down in his family from father to son for half an age.

He drinks until sobriety packs its bags and abandons him wholeheartedly.

One drink becomes three. Three drinks become twelve. At this rate, Yuuri is going to drain half the bar, and Viktor doesn't seem to care about the price -- he orders just as many beers, cocktails, and mixed drinks as Yuuri does, most of the time ordering for both of them. The food might be delicious, but Yuuri honestly doesn't notice -- a haze settles over his mind halfway between the appetizers and the first course, rendering him unable to focus on anything except Viktor's pretty face.

The alcohol doesn't really kick in until the main course, and by that point, Yuuri has had just as many drinks as Viktor, a rarity. It helps that Viktor's energy burns through him alongside the alcohol, heightening the haze that Yuuri welcomes. The lights are a little brighter, the smile on Viktor's face a little more tempting. They are both drunk, and for the first time in months, Yuuri doesn't worry about his contract or assignations or Viktor's spell or his own lusts. Instead he enjoys himself, his inhibitions gone.

He doesn't know what they talk about. He laughs when Viktor tells a funny joke and listens to him tell stories with sweeping gestures and enthusiasm. He doesn't bring much to the conversation, but he is happy to listen to Viktor, and Viktor seems happy to entertain him.

Still, Viktor retains enough sobriety to raise an eyebrow when Yuuri keeps ordering drinks, but Yuuri is already three sheets to the wind by the time Viktor thinks to comment on it -- and he does nothing to stop it, either. "You've had a lot more than usual tonight, Yuuri! Can you keep up with some traditional Russian toasts, though?" Viktor asks with a grin after dessert is cleared away, as a server brings a small line of shot glasses and sets a silver-engraved bottle beside them.

Yuuri squints at the bottle. "Vodka?"

"A Russian staple," Viktor says grandly, pouring them each three shots.

Yuuri returns the grin, enjoying the way Viktor's cheeks flush a little, past caring about the blush on his own cheeks. It is far more interesting to make Viktor redden with embarrassment and, dare he say, interest. "It's a celebration, isn't it? I landed a quad salchow! Just like you taught me, Viktor!" He lifts the first shot glass and hoists it up. "A toast, to my coach! The best coach ever! That's you, Viktor!"

Viktor laughs, his eyes widening a little as he watches Yuuri, but he cheerfully picks up his own shot glass as well and taps it against Yuuri's glass. "Then a toast to the best student I've ever had! To you, Yuuri!"

"Nooo," Yuuri laughs, tapping his glass to Viktor's again, not caring when a little sloshes over his wrist. "This is a toast for _you_ , Viktor!"

"Alright," Viktor agrees after a moment with a great sigh, then drinks the shot in one go. Yuuri watches his throat bob as he swallows, tempted to lean across the table and lick it, though he gets distracted when Viktor nods to his shot. Yuuri follows his lead mindlessly, and Viktor grins with a glint in his eye and raises a second shot glass. "Now a toast to Yuuri!"

"Viktooor," Yuuri whines, putting on a pout that would do his coach proud, even as he reaches for a second shot, the strong Russian drink seeping into him and making the room a little hazier. "You can't just... just, just --"

"I think you'll find that I can," Viktor returns with a wide grin, picking up Yuuri's hand that is holding his glass and knocking their drinks together. "There! Now drink, Yuuri!"

Yuuri briefly gets stuck on the feeling of Viktor's hand around his wrist, slightly sticky from the alcohol and warm, swallowing back the desire to lean over and do something naughty to Viktor's fingers. Instead he takes Viktor's hand off his wrist and clasps their fingers, then obediently drinks, his gaze remaining locked with Viktor's until he has drained the entire shot glass. He sets the glass down with a thud and leans back, smirking a bit when Viktor opens and closes his mouth, speechless for a moment.

"Wow," Viktor says, a little faint, and Yuuri laughs, rubbing his thumb teasingly over Viktor's palm, listening to Viktor's soft inhalation. It's nice to give into his desire, even a little. Why did he ever resist this? 

"One more toast, Viktor," Yuuri says, leaning forward. "To _you_."

Viktor sighs at him, sliding his finger along the rim of the shot glass, almost coyly. "Now that is simply unfair, dear Yuuri. I think it should be to _you._ "

They stare at each other over their glasses, until Yuuri breaks the connection with a snort, grinning fondly through the haze in his head. "Then to us? It might be the _only_ way to settle this... _ne_ , Viktooor?"

Viktor's gaze softens, and he clinks the glass against Yuuri's gently. "To us, then. To you and me, fighting against the world, no matter where life takes us. Together."

"Together," Yuuri repeats, longing for that bright, distant future. Tonight is for dreams, after all. He drinks the shot, then sets the glass down with a little wobble, watching Viktor lean back and flag down the server. With the server comes a very long receipt, and Viktor's eyebrows fly to his hairline at the sight of the total at the bottom.

"Why, Yuuri," Viktor says slowly, a grin spreading across his lips, "I do believe we have beaten my old record. Congratulations!"

Yuuri squints at him, trying to peer at the receipt, but Viktor sets down his credit card and hands it back to the server before he can see the total. "Record?"

Viktor winks at him. "For most money spent on alcohol in a single night. It's amazing, what we can do together!" He laughs, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand, watching Yuuri with a smile. The red tie looks good on him, especially with his dark vest and crisp white shirt. Yuuri has noticed that Viktor loves to dress in formalwear when he can, and he has to admit it becomes him. Yuuri has managed to get away with having only one suit in his closet -- how, he isn't sure, given how much Viktor loves to shop for him -- though Viktor had stolen his tie (a nice, normal light blue) as soon as he had laid eyes on it and returned with three much nicer ones.

Yuuri still isn't sure what his tie ever did to Viktor.

Absently Yuuri tugs at his (very nice, silk, and silver) tie to loosen it, warm beneath Viktor's gaze, holding it for a long moment before he gets distracted by loud laughter nearby. The humans have welcomed the festive atmosphere, Viktor's spell adding to the energy, and what would normally be a quiet upper class restaurant with easy background music has been transformed into something more like a party. The staff are just as affected, it seems, probably from drinking ice water or soda all night. Yuuri can smell sex in the air, lusts that he usually ignores, and it amuses him, that Viktor's little spell has led to such decadence.

Yuuri's gaze catches on the dance floor, which is far fuller than it was a couple hours ago, and he lights up, halfway out of his chair by the time he opens his mouth. "Viktor! Let's dance!" He waits impatiently while Viktor signs the receipt, trying to peek over his shoulder at the total again, but Viktor stands up swiftly and catches Yuuri's hands, spinning him with a laugh. 

"Nice try, Yuuri! You wanted to dance, right?"

Yuuri ignores the small wave of dizziness from Viktor's spin and gives in to the urge to press up against him, wrapping his arms around Viktor's middle and breathing in his scent with relish. "I want to dance with _you_ , Viktor," he purrs, enjoying the way Viktor stiffens. "If you think you can keep up..."

"Okay," Viktor says with a small exhalation that brushes over Yuuri's ear. "Lead the way, then."

Yuuri does more than that. When they reach the dance floor, he twists to pull on Viktor's tie and leads him backwards into the throng of people, pulling him close and grinning when Viktor's hands settle on Yuuri's swaying hips, as if he is unsure where to put them. Yuuri sends a little flick of his fingers toward the stage where a four-person band is playing, and like magic, the band begins to play a quick and lively flamenco. Yuuri wastes no time in taking Viktor's hand and leading him into dance.

This, he knows, even three sheets to the wind. He learned from the best, first Minako- _sensei_ , then Lilia- _neesan_ , and other teachers with just as much experience. Yuuri knows he is a better dancer than Viktor, and he is happy to show him, to twirl Viktor around and surprise a laugh out of him. He tugs Viktor back to him, catching him in his arms with his chest pressed to Viktor's back, swaying their hips together closely, before twisting around again and meeting Viktor face-to-face.

"Yuuri," Viktor breathes, enthralled by both Yuuri and the dance. Yuuri smiles at him, happiness curling in his chest that he has impressed Viktor. "You are full of surprises, as always."

Yuuri leans in. "Just try to keep up," he whispers, raising his eyebrows. Viktor grins, delighted.

The night passes in a blur. Yuuri remembers bright lights, beautiful music, and Viktor's gaze fixed on him, the glow of his powers blazing through his glamour. Yuuri is sure that his own eyes have bled red, but none of the humans seem to notice, and Yuuri stops caring. They dance, and they dance some more until one of them says they are thirsty. They pause and get more drinks, hovering at the bar while sipping tall, thin glasses stashed with mint and lime, and while Yuuri is laughing at Viktor's impersonation of a _kappa_ , he loses his tie.

"It's around your head, Yuuri," Viktor says fondly, as if Yuuri had just asked him where it was. Maybe he did. He can't tell anymore. He is dancing with Viktor again now, to a slow and steady song, the music soft in the background. It's nice, especially since Viktor is holding him.

Viktor laughs again, wrapping his arms around Yuuri and pulling him close, turning his face into Yuuri's messy hair. "I wonder if you've had too much to drink." The silken strip of Yuuri's tie shifts a little against his hair when Viktor's mouth brushes against it, but Yuuri soon forgets it is there again, because Viktor is hugging him again.

He likes Viktor's hugs.

"I like hugging you, too, Yuuri," Viktor murmurs into his ear, and Yuuri's face flares hot again. What were they doing?

"Dancing," Viktor says, and Yuuri remembers where they are. The restaurant. Dancing. Is it time for another drink? "I think it's time to take you home. No more drinks tonight."

Yuuri doesn't think that's fair. If he keeps drinking, then he doesn't have to think. He just wants to dance with Viktor all night and not think about anything. Dancing with Viktor is nice.

"I'd like to know what you mean by that, but I doubt you'll even remember this conversation... Come on, Yuuri," Viktor says to him, his voice impossibly gentle in Yuuri's ear as he guides him from the dance floor and fetches their coats. Yuuri's tie is still around his head, and even Viktor struggles to sort out his scarf. Finally he gives up, laughs, and pulls Yuuri into an empty storeroom down the hall from the restaurant entrance and wraps his arms around Yuuri again. "Hold on tight." Yuuri wraps his arms around Viktor's shoulders and closes his eyes, hiding his face in Viktor's damp collar.

They vanish in a burst of magic, and reappear in the middle of a spell circle in Viktor's bedroom. 

"Oh, that made me dizzy," Yuuri gasps, leaning even more into Viktor, who holds them both upright for a moment.

"I've got you," Viktor says quietly, rubbing Yuuri's back. Even through the haze of alcohol and Viktor's icy energy, Yuuri can sense his fondness through the touch, edged with an odd note of worry. He doesn't understand what Viktor has to be worried about -- Viktor's life is perfect. It's Yuuri who is a mess.

"You're not a mess, Yuuri, and I'd like to know who put that thought into your head," Viktor sighs. In response, Yuuri forces himself to stop thinking -- clearly Viktor can hear every thought in his head. Or is he saying every thought he thinks? Either way, Yuuri's shields must be completely gone. It would be nice to stop thinking, so that Viktor could stop hearing him. Then Yuuri could focus on nuzzling Viktor, which he is doing right now, and if he turns his head a bit, he can press his lips to Viktor's pulse.

A moment later, the room spins, and Yuuri finds himself staring up at the lamps hanging from Viktor's ceiling. He gasps, another bout of dizziness catching him by surprise, and he has to close his eyes against the sudden heaviness in his head. Something soft and cool touches his forehead, and Yuuri groans, turning away to hide his face in the sweet-smelling pillow beside him. Somehow his glasses have disappeared, but Yuuri can't be bothered to wonder where they are. It's not like he needs them anyway.

"I don't want to get up ever again," Yuuri tells the pillow. The pillow laughs, and Yuuri starts a bit, opening his eyes to see that the pillow is in fact Viktor, who is reclining beside him with a small smile. His jacket and vest are gone, his tie hanging loosely around his neck. He looks softer than normal Viktor, and Yuuri aches to touch him, to be close to him. He hopes Viktor doesn't leave. He wants to get to know this softer Viktor, to see if he is as nice as normal Viktor.

"I should not have let you drink so much," Viktor says, but his voice is amused, fond even, and his eyes are glowing faintly. This close, Yuuri can see little white designs in his irises, like cracks in the ice.

"Your eyes are beautiful," Yuuri informs Viktor, hoping he understands just how much Yuuri loves looking at his eyes. At all of him, really. Is he talking out loud again? He hopes not. 

Viktor doesn't say anything else for a long while; instead, he merely watches Yuuri, the glow of the city casting light across his face. Eventually he takes Yuuri's hand, entwining their fingers to complete their connection. Yuuri is far too drunk to read Viktor's thoughts, but he can sense that Viktor is content, if much more sober than he is. Why isn't Viktor as drunk as him? He must have had just as many drinks as Yuuri did. Then again, Yuuri comes from a long line of wild drunks, so it's no surprise that Viktor can handle alcohol much better than him.

Viktor's lips twitch. Yuuri's thoughts must be leaking through again.

"Sorry," Yuuri whispers. He doesn't let go of Viktor, though, his bright red gaze dropping to their entwined hands. He really is a failure of an incubus -- he can't even seduce one demon.

"Do you want to seduce me, Yuuri?" Viktor asks, his voice even, and Yuuri is shaking his head before Viktor even says his name.

"I want to be with Viktor," Yuuri says, as clearly as he can, looking up at Viktor and wondering why his smile has disappeared. "I don't care... about... assignations. About fucking you for energy. I want to wake up with you, and watch you put too much sugar in your coffee, and listen to you read the news to Makkachin. I want to dance with you. I want to skate with you. Viktor... I just want to stay here." He knows he slurs the words a bit, but he needs Viktor to understand -- to know how he feels. Sober Yuuri would never, ever tell Viktor these things. It's up to Drunk Yuuri to be honest for both of them.

Viktor stares at him with those vivid blue eyes, his breath stuttering out in a shaky sigh. "I figured you'd prefer the Underworld to this place," he says quietly, but Yuuri shakes his head again.

"I love it here," Yuuri says, meeting Viktor's eyes. Viktor's smile has returned, just a little, but enough to give Yuuri courage. "I love skating. I love the city. I love Makkachin. I love it here with you. I love..." His words fail him as Viktor stares at him, something intense in his gaze that leaves Yuuri breathless, even beneath the haze of alcohol that has all but destroyed every one of his inhibitions. Viktor's eyes are so very blue, all but glowing, and as Yuuri stares up at him, Viktor starts to lean down, and Yuuri unconsciously holds his breath, the haze clearing away for a moment, leaving Viktor's eyes so very bright, every sound clear...

"Makkachin," Yuuri says, and Viktor stops short of his lips.

"What?"

"Makkachin is whining." They both turn their head to Viktor's bedroom door, where whining can be heard, along with faint scratches. "She probably needs to pee... oh, no, Viktor, we didn't let Makkachin pee!"

Viktor hides his face against the bare skin of Yuuri's neck; his shoulders are shaking, which alarms Yuuri enough that he reaches up to pet Viktor. "Don't cry, Viktor, Makkachin will be okay."

Viktor sighs deeply, his warm breath making Yuuri's skin tingle. At least his shoulders stop shaking, though Yuuri continues to pet him for a moment, enjoying how soft his hair is. "I won't be," Viktor mutters.

"Eh?"

Viktor picks himself off of Yuuri with another bone-deep sigh, looking very reluctant to leave him. His fine shirt is rumpled, the tie loosened from when Yuuri grabbed it earlier. Pity; it's a very nice suit, and Viktor looked very good in it. "Thank you, Yuuri, I'll have to wear it again for you after I get it dry-cleaned. I'll go take care of Makkachin. You stay here, Yuuri. Okay? Don't even think of casting any magic."

"Okay," Yuuri agrees easily. It's a nice idea, staying here, and he trusts that Viktor will take care of Makkachin. In the meantime he can enjoy Viktor's bed, which he hasn't gotten to visit yet, not for lack of wanting. "Smells like you," he says sleepily, turning over and pushing his face into Viktor's pillow to inhale deeply.

Viktor says nothing for a long moment, and Yuuri nearly drifts off, until he hears, "Okay. _Okay._ I'll be right back, Yuuri, just... stay there." After a moment the door opens, then clicks shut, and Yuuri smiles as he rubs his face against Viktor's sheets.

After that he knows no more.

It must be a dream, then, when Viktor returns, grumbling with fond exasperation, then stops short at the sight of Yuuri sprawled out asleep on his bed. It must be a dream when Viktor climbs carefully onto the bed beside him and brushes his hair from his eyes, and even when Viktor smiles at him with a shake of his head. It must be a dream, certainly, when Viktor gently tugs the tie off his head, though perhaps the next moment, the next soft touch, is a memory, when Viktor leans down to kiss his forehead.

But Yuuri does not wake, so it must be a dream.

~*~

Yuuri has no idea what he drank, but the wicked goblins that made it are currently banging up a great thrum of painful noise in his head. What did he even do last night? Drink half of Russia? He groans into his pillow, shrinking away from the morning light cast across the bed. His shoulder bumps something warm, and Yuuri starts a little, then relaxes upon realizing who it is.

"Makkachin," he croaks, reaching behind him to pet Makkachin. Instead of fluffy curls, though, his hand meets smooth skin. Huh. Odd. When did Makkachin shave her fur off? It feels nice, at least, but he likes Makkachin's fur better.

"I'm not Makkachin, Yuuri, but good try anyway," says a voice in his ear. Yuuri's hand stills where it is, warm, smooth, _naked_ skin beneath his fingers. Slowly he lifts his head and cracks his eyes open.

Viktor Nikiforov is lying beside him with a heart-shaped smile and far too much cheer for the time of day. Yuuri stares at him for a long moment, then carefully pulls his hand away and tucks himself back under the covers, resolute in ignoring the apparition. He's not there. He's not there. He's not --

"Yuuri, I'm _hurt_. To think that you would forget our night of passion so quickly?"

"Our _what_?" Yuuri shrieks, his head snapping up, before he flinches and groans, clutching his forehead. A hand lands on his back and slides upward beneath his shirt -- _oh, good, I'm wearing clothes_ \-- and now Yuuri can sense amusement and mischievous glee. 

Oh. 

"You ass," he whimpers into his hands. Viktor laughs, rubbing his back for a moment, and Yuuri leans into the motion, even though everything makes his head hurt worse.

"You don't remember anything from last night, do you?" Viktor asks with another laugh, though some little emotion other than amusement seeps through the touch at Yuuri's back. Yuuri's head hurts too much to parse what it might be.

"...No?"

"Thought not," Viktor sighs. Then he leans over and kisses Yuuri's hair, before letting go of him and climbing out of bed, stretching with limber ease, as if he didn't drink the other half of Russia last night. Yuuri, still reeling from the kiss, can only turn his head and stare. "Well, we can discuss that at another time. I won't torment you too much right now." At first Yuuri believes him, but then Viktor flashes a small, evil grin that makes Yuuri fear whatever he did while drunk. He hopes Drunk Yuuri was not too forward or, if his luck is with him, _honest._ That is the last thing Yuuri needs.

He is never drinking again. Instead of dealing with his problems, Yuuri is going to spend the next fifty years with his head buried under this sweet-smelling pillow. Viktor chuckles, then leans down and presses another kiss to Yuuri's hair, before straightening. "There are some pills and water on the side table, okay? I'll be right back," he hears, followed by Viktor's footsteps leaving the room.

 _Viktor kissed me,_ Yuuri thinks in quiet surprise. _Twice._ He struggles for a while to absorb that, fighting against the happiness welling up in his chest, until he can sit up and reach for the pills Viktor left for him. He takes the medicine and sits still, curled up and slowly sipping the ice water for a few long minutes, until his head stops pounding and he starts wondering where Viktor went.

Of course, that is when Yuuri realizes he is in _Viktor's_ room and not his own, and he almost throws the water across the room in shock. What did he do last night?!

Viktor doesn't tell him, though, not that day, nor the rest of the week. Instead he stares too long at Yuuri, leaving him jumpy and nervous, and wraps him up in even more hugs than usual. Sometimes he presses little kisses to Yuuri's hair, and once to his cheek, which shocks Yuuri enough that he trips and falls into a puddle walking home. Viktor doesn't try it again, but he smiles as he watches Yuuri all the same, something soft in his gaze.

If only Yuuri could remember what he did to make Viktor treat him this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you missed it, there's a snippet of [Viktor's point of view of one of the scenes in Chapter 5](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9176764)!
> 
> I've received some AMAZING FANART, by the way! Go give them all love and kudos and likes and admiration and some more love! Thank you for the lovely fanart!!!
> 
> [This STUNNING art of incubus!Yuuri relaxing in the hot spring!](http://zipra.tumblr.com/post/155001311660/fic-rec-of-the-day-when-the-ice-melts-in-the-snow) by @zipra!  
> [This GLORIOUS art of Yuuri](http://calswitcher.tumblr.com/post/155313387869/calswitcher-read-a-vikturri-fic-called-when-the) and [Viktor's reaction](https://amberstarfight.tumblr.com/post/155313440119/calswitcher-calswitcher-read-a-vikturri-fic) from chapter 5 by @calswitcher!  
> [This AMAZING art of Yuuri, Viktor, and incubus!Yuuri](http://jakki-art.tumblr.com/post/155410552046/amberstarfight-drew-some-fanart-for-one-of-the) by @oddanka / @jakki-art!
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and support! You are all AWESOME! Let me know what you think! ;D


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** This chapter contains a scene with explicit sexual content.

"Wow, Makkachin, listen to this! Scientists discovered a new method to detecting cancer! Aren't humans interesting, Makkachin? Want to hear the rest of the article?"

Yuuri smiles as he listens to Viktor read to Makkachin, the newspaper spread across the table while Makkachin lays her head on his knee, content to listen to Viktor's melodic voice. He isn't sure why, but lately Viktor has been reading to Makkachin more often in the mornings, and it always warms Yuuri's heart to see it. He caught Viktor doing it a few times when Yuuri slept in, early in their partnership, but now Viktor seems to have no shame about it. Yuuri thinks it's sweet.

Absently he picks at the collar of his sweater as he sips his tea. Despite the frigid temperature outside, his body is warmer than usual, enough that Yuuri feels a little overdressed. He hopes he isn't coming down with anything; even demons can get sick.

A faint chime sounds from his pocket, and Yuuri pulls out his phone with a glance at the screen. The message is from Phichit, and Yuuri blinks in surprise, a little bemused that Phichit found a way to contact him through the human mobile system, which may or may not be connected to the demon system -- he isn't sure. Although, considering the text is in one of the languages of the Underworld and hasn't melted his phone, he supposes it must be. Phichit knows, which is enough for Yuuri.

He didn't bother with technology before he met Phichit. It's enough that Phichit has mastered it -- he can run Yuuri's online social life without any input from Yuuri himself.

 **phichit+chu:** _boy do i have the juiciest gossip for you_

 **katsudon-y:** _how did you even get this number_

 **katsudon-y:** _and how did you program yourself into my phone_

 **katsudon-y:** _my mundane phone btw_

 **phichit+chu:** _you underestimate me my friend but that's okay_

 **phichit+chu:** _do you remember months ago when you had the hots for a random ice dude and never saw him again_

Yuuri glances over at Viktor, who has moved onto an article about the Russian national hockey team and is cheerfully lambasting every member of it to Makkachin, typing out his answer carefully. He definitely does not want Viktor to come over and read this particular conversation over his shoulder. He had nearly forgotten about that demon, it's been so long.

 **katsudon-y:** _yeah......_

 **phichit+chu:** _okay well ive been searching for him EVERYWHERE and i finally found him_

 **phichit+chu:** _he is the heir, THE HEIR, of the biggest noble family this side of the veil_

 **phichit+chu:** _super mysterious btw because he NEVER visits the cities except maybe once a year_

 **phichit+chu:** _supposedly he lives in his family's realm all year and never, ever leaves except for Srs Bsns_

 **phichit+chu:** _and the one day he visits town, he sees U_

 **phichit+chu:** _he totally had the hots for u_

 **katsudon-y:** _whoever introduced you to human slang should be ashamed of themselves_

 **katsudon-y:** _and wait, you mean that family with their own realm inside the underworld? the velenos family?_

 **phichit+chu:** _that's the one, in the iriy realm_

Yuuri raises his eyebrows, curious. He knows of the Iriy realm, one of the greatest examples of ancient arcane magic known to demons. The Velenos family, one of the first families in the Underworld, who sometimes insisted that they _were_ the first family of demons, had gathered together one day to create their own realm within the Underworld, in a show of magic that had left every demon around half unconscious from the energy drain. The family had never apologized, eons and eons ago, and they still hold a seat of power, influencing clan issues and the few laws that govern the demon races.

 **katsudon-y:** _wow... neat. well, i've never seen him since, so why does it matter_

 **phichit+chu:** _it matters bc he had the hots for u!!! and they say hes looking for a mate_

 **katsudon-y:** _once again..... why does it matter........._

 **phichit+chu:** _YUURI_

 **katsudon-y:** _i'm too busy for a mate anyway_

 **katsudon-y:** _viktor packs my schedule completely full for training_

 **phichit+chu:** _ohohoho VIKTOR is it?_

 **katsudon-y:** _no_

 **phichit+chu:** _you're no fun_

 **phichit+chu:** _it's that human sport right? figure skating? is that ALL you do with viktor??? ;D_

 **katsudon-y:** _are you coming up for my competitions later this year? they should start in september_

 **phichit+chu:** _so you're just going to ignore that eh_

 **phichit+chu:** _U should come visit ME, i miss my best buddy!!!!_

 **katsudon-y:** _maybe. i have to come home in a couple weeks, so i can swing by for a visit_

 **phichit+chu:** _!!!! best buddy in the whooooole world_

 **katsudon-y:** _phichit....._

 **phichit+chu:** _but yes i will come see you do pretty things on the ice_

 **katsudon-y:** _thank you and goodbye_

Yuuri smiles fondly and closes the messaging app, his thoughts turning to the rather random piece of gossip Phichit had decided to share. He picks up his tea, sipping thoughtfully. He wonders if Viktor is part of the legion of minor clans that are attached to that particular family. He knows most of them are ice demons, but Yuuri pays so little attention to demon politics that he isn't aware of much else. Hence how he apparently failed to recognize the heir of the most important family of the Underworld.

Well, it's not as if it matters. Maybe if he ever entered the mating rituals, or somehow managed to meet that demon again, but Yuuri doesn't intend do that anytime in the near future -- and he doubts that he, a lowly _mara_ demon, would ever be accepted into such a high class clan.

Besides, he has someone else he is interested in.

"Yuuuuuri, what are you reading? Is it something interesting?"

Viktor's voice in his ear makes Yuuri jump, and he turns to find Viktor inches from him, newspaper forgotten. Yuuri's face flushes a bit at his closeness, and quickly he ducks his head. "Nothing really. I was texting a friend. He lives in the Underworld and was wondering when I would visit next."

"Hmm... I guess your meeting with Lilia isn't for another couple weeks. The twenty-eighth, right?" Viktor's fingers trail up Yuuri's spine, and he shivers a little, wanting to press back into the touch but unsure what it means. Lately Viktor has been touching him more like this, alongside his little kisses and hugs, and it is driving Yuuri mad with confusion. Sometimes he can hardly think around Viktor.

"R-right." Like now. Since Viktor is _still touching him._

"If you ever need to go back, you don't need to ask, so long as it doesn't interfere with practice." Viktor's fingers dip low at his waist, then draw back upwards, dancing in little designs on his back. Yuuri swallows, distracted.

"Okay..." Is it warm in here? Yuuri has felt a little warm all morning, but somehow Viktor's closeness is making it worse. He takes a deep breath, suddenly irritated with his sweater, which is high on his neck and is in the way of Viktor's touches. He leans away from Viktor and tugs off his sweater, pulling a bit at the thin undershirt beneath and frowning at it. 

What was he thinking about before? Right, practice. "Well, I didn't want to disrupt training." He looks over his shoulder to see Viktor watching him with raised eyebrows, and his gaze darts down to Viktor's hand before he turns around again, pulling up his calendar on his phone.

After a brief moment, Viktor's hand returns to Yuuri's back, the cool touch seeping into Yuuri's skin and making him sigh. Viktor always seems so cool to the touch, mostly from his ice powers, but admittedly it feels lovely to curl up next to him and not feel overheated. Absently Yuuri browses the calendar, checking his meeting dates with Lilia. After the first disastrous meeting, he has kept a careful schedule in his calendar for reminders.

"Just because I don't go back doesn't mean you can't, Yuuri. I don't mind."

"Mm," Yuuri responds, his frown deepening a bit. He feels like something else was supposed to happen in May. Ever since That Night, which earned itself its own title on account of the framed receipt Viktor has put up on the wall above his computer, Yuuri has felt out of sorts, like he has forgotten something important. He doesn't know if it is something he said or did with Viktor (which he really hopes isn't the case) or something more.

The thought of losing control like that irritates him. He really cannot trust himself with alcohol; why he ever let Viktor take him out in the first place, he has no idea. He moves to the previous month, checking the dates he has marked, but sees nothing that jumps out at him.

A cool breath of air washes over his ear, and Yuuri blinks, realizing Viktor has moved even closer. Unthinkingly he tilts his head to the side for Viktor to scent him, used to the motions now, then freezes when Viktor does exactly that, breathing in Yuuri's scent deeply.

Viktor hasn't scented him for months.

"Viktor?" he asks hesitantly, twitching as Viktor's hand slips underneath his shirt and sending another wave of warmth through him.

Viktor murmurs a response, nonsensical and lacking any cohesive meaning, his mouth dragging across Yuuri's neck and leaving him rigid. A flash of heat erupts in his body, followed by a cascade of _lust_ so strong it nearly knocks Yuuri sideways. Viktor's hand suddenly grips his hip, tight enough to bruise, and the seconds tick by as Viktor's lips part, his teeth scraping Yuuri's skin.

Yuuri is halfway across the room before either of them can blink, his eyes wide as he claps a hand over his neck. Viktor stands still for a moment, staring down at his empty arms, then turns his head to blink at Yuuri, confusion appearing on his face. He stares at Yuuri's tense figure and breathes in slowly, his nostrils flaring. Yuuri copies the motion unthinkingly, and he smells _himself_. In that moment Yuuri realizes that the warmth in his body is a symptom of another problem -- much worse than he had imagined.

"Oh, shit, I'm in heat," Yuuri blurts out, horrified. Viktor freezes, his eyes widening slightly, and guilt sweeps through Yuuri, sickening him. "I'm so sorry, Viktor. My pheromones, they... they get worse during heats. I'm sorry." His hand shaking slightly, he reaches into the air and draws a simple spell circle, a scent nullifying spell that sweeps across the room once he presses his hand to it, removing the heavy scent of Yuuri's heat. Then he murmurs a few words under his breath, casting a charm that encircles him and blocks his scent from wandering any further, though he knows the magic will not last.

Viktor blinks a few times, his eyes following the movements of Yuuri's hands, his shoulders stiffening slightly when the air in the room changes. He shakes his head, hands clenching briefly, and seems to find himself again, a relief to Yuuri, who knows the powerful effect of _mara_ heats on others.

"It looks like we'll have to postpone training for a few days," Yuuri stammers, a little hysterical. "I'm sorry. I'll leave immediately. Um, I'll make it up to you, I'll practice very hard next week, it won't be an issue, I promise --"

Cool hands touch his face, and Yuuri's babbling ceases, surprised that Viktor crossed the room so quickly. He jolts back a little, but Viktor catches him by the arm and takes his hand. "Yuuri, you don't have to leave. I don't really understand what's going on. Can you explain it to me?" With a little reassuring squeeze, Viktor manages to calm Yuuri enough that he can focus, swallowing. He owes Viktor an explanation.

"I'm in heat," Yuuri says quietly, the admission almost hurting. "It's... a thing all _mara_ do. Mine happens once a year." Why did he say that? That was far too personal. He needs to stick to the facts. "W-when it happens, um, we start craving sex, and our pheromones affect everyone who might be attracted to us, and... um. It's safer if I just go back to the Underworld for a few days. Then it won't be a bother."

Viktor is silent for a long moment. Yuuri cannot look at him, his face flaming with embarrassment. "You're ashamed of this part of you," Viktor finally says, gently squeezing Yuuri's hand again.

 _Ah._ Trust Viktor to pinpoint Yuuri's feelings on the matter. He nods slightly, and that admission hurts as well. After a moment of waiting for him to continue, Viktor lifts their hands together, pressing a soft kiss to Yuuri's fingers, which startles him. He looks up to find a small smile on Viktor's face.

"If you would feel more comfortable back in the Underworld for this, I won't stop you, Yuuri. Are you certain that's what you want to do? I don't mind if you spend your heat here. This is your home, after all. It wouldn't bother me."

Beneath the warmth on his face, Yuuri wonders at how easily Viktor can read him, to see the anxieties in his head and soothe them away. It doesn't miss his notice, either, that Viktor calls the apartment his home -- not just Viktor's home, not anymore. He has not felt like a guest in this place for a long time.

Still, he cannot put Viktor through his heat. It wouldn't be fair.

"You, um... said before that my scent distracts you. It'll be worse. And it affects humans, too, they'll... well, they won't be able to control themselves. It affects consent, so it's better... if I just stay in the heat halls. They have rooms where... um, I can be alone." His gaze wanders away as he talks, unable to look at Viktor's sweet smile too long.

"Affects consent?" Viktor asks after a moment, and Yuuri nods a little, his shoulders dropping.

"For humans, mostly, but there have been stories of demons, too... anyway, they react naturally to the pheromones. It makes people act out desires that they otherwise wouldn't. I guess it's like alcohol, it removes inhibitions... but it can be dangerous, and most of us spend our heats with each other or alone. Otherwise we could be attacked, or we might go attack someone who won't stop us."

Viktor's eyes widen a little, but he doesn't otherwise comment for a moment, putting a finger to his lips in consideration. Yuuri breathes out a little, realizing that talking about it calms him, just as it always does with Viktor. As if sensing his changing mood, Viktor squeezes his hand again, then gently tugs him over to the couch, pulling Yuuri down to sit next to him. Yuuri does so hesitantly, putting space between them, but he lets Viktor continue holding his hand, wanting the contact as much as Viktor does. He can feel Viktor's curiosity and worry, and --

His heart jolts a little. He can feel Viktor's desire. Not only a little, either -- no, it is the same desire that Yuuri felt months ago, deep and churning and overwhelming, enough to make his own want spike. He holds it back, though, pulling up his shields for the first time since he and Viktor began their arrangement, and some of the feelings echoing between them dim, muted by the shields. Viktor inhales softly next to him, and when Yuuri looks up, he sees the hurt in Viktor's expression.

"I'm sorry," Yuuri says before he can stop himself, turning toward Viktor and gripping his hand a little more tightly. "I'm just... it's a little too much right now."

Viktor is silent for a long moment, before he nods, something in his gaze softening. "It's alright. You don't have to keep apologizing, Yuuri, I don't mind. I just want to understand."

"O-okay." Yuuri takes a deep breath, and sighs it out, sinking back against the couch cushions with the motion. "I'd forgotten about it... or maybe I'd put it out of my mind so it wouldn't be stressful."

Viktor hums thoughtfully. "So all _mara_ go through heat? Is it like... ah... when a demon usually..."

Yuuri can guess what he means. "It doesn't make us more fertile, no," he says, relaxing a little more, amused at Viktor's embarrassment. "I won't get pregnant if I had sex while in heat, either. I didn't inherit those genes."

"I see." Viktor clears his throat, glancing at Yuuri, his lips twitching. "That's good, then. So, why can't you spend it here?"

Abruptly Yuuri's amusement shifts into embarrassment, and he looks away. "I can't put you through that."

"Through what?"

Yuuri glances at him, a little disbelieving that Viktor would be this oblivious. "I don't want to make you sit through my heat like that. It would... it might... something might happen," he finally says, small and worried, looking down at his lap.

A pause, and then Viktor breathes in slowly. "Something might happen."

"Well... my pheromones could make you do things... like earlier, when you scented me..."

"Yuuri." Viktor's tone draws his gaze back up, and he blinks to see Viktor looking serious, almost angry, the faint blue glow of his demonic energy burning through his glamour. "Do you really think me so shallow?"

Yuuri gapes at him. "What? No, I --"

"Do you really think after all this time that my desire for you is simply hormones?" Viktor asks, catching Yuuri before he can look away again. "Do you think my control is that flimsy? _Your_ control? Yuuri, I have wanted you since the moment I first saw you. And you have wanted me, too, but neither of us were ready for each other. Maybe we're still not ready, but that doesn't mean we need to deny this. Us. Do you really think so little of us?"

"No," Yuuri whispers, struggling with his words, with the needs he wants to convey to Viktor. He knows Viktor is right -- that months of living together has been more than simply lust, that he cares deeply about Viktor and cannot abide hurting him, leaving him. That he is more than simply attracted to Viktor, and the thought of it scares him, that his feelings are so strong, somewhere deep where he has never allowed himself to feel. "I don't mean it like that at all. I trust you, I just don't trust _myself_. It's just... I'm not ready for it. For sex, or... mm. Like you said. Please don't misunderstand, Viktor." He swallows, heat rising to his cheeks again, but meets Viktor's vivid gaze squarely. "You would be my first choice. My only choice. But I'm not..."

"You're not ready," Viktor echoes, and now his gaze is soft, gentle, the Viktor that Yuuri knows, has known for months. "Okay. I'm not ready, either. And that's okay. Can we stop pretending now, at least? I'm not afraid of my feelings for you, Yuuri."

Yuuri's heart is beating strangely fast, blossoming with hope that the feelings he has been denying for weeks. He cannot say anything in response, cannot find the words, but he nods, leaning in to Viktor's side, closing his eyes in relief when Viktor wraps an arm around him, taking his hand again. Not wanting anything standing between them any longer, Yuuri lets down his barriers again, letting Viktor feel what he cannot say.

Viktor turns his head, pressing a kiss to Yuuri's hair. For a few minutes, they say nothing else, simply sitting with one another, Viktor's happiness clearing out the anxiety in Yuuri's head, and in turn he feels the rising tide of his own love for Viktor, washing away the hurt in Viktor's heart.

He wants to say he is sorry, again, but he suspects Viktor might do something about it, like tease him or kiss him, and Yuuri isn't ready for that, either. Sitting here is nice, comfortable. He is distracted, though, by a small whine from his knee, and he looks down to see Makkachin sitting at their feet, which makes both Yuuri and Viktor smile without thinking.

"Do you want to join us, Makkachin? Get your Yuuri cuddles before he leaves," Viktor beams. Makkachin's ears perk up at Viktor's special voice for her, and she starts wagging her tail, putting her paws on Yuuri's knees and standing up to crawl halfway into his lap. Yuuri laughs a little, letting go of Viktor's hand to wrap his arms around Makkachin.

"I'll miss you too, Makkachin. But I'll be back soon, okay?"

He leans back against the couch again, not minding when Makkachin crawls up and lays herself over his and Viktor's laps, absently scratching her back. Viktor watches them both for a few moments, his heart-shaped smile making a brief appearance, before he turns contemplative.

"Even though it'll interrupt your training, I guess it can't be helped. How long does your heat usually last?"

Yuuri shrugs a little, shifting slightly to rest against Viktor's side. "No more than a week. Sometimes only a few days, if I, um, satisfy myself." He blushes when Viktor's interest deepens, averting his gaze. "A-anyway, I should get ready to go."

Gently he disentangles himself from Makkachin and Viktor, though he is surprised when Viktor also nudges Makkachin off his lap and gets up to follow him, hesitating in the doorway to Yuuri's room until Yuuri beckons him in. Silently he sits on the edge of Yuuri's bed, watching as he packs a small suitcase, his gaze never leaving Yuuri.

"You said you're going back to the heat halls? What is that, exactly?" Viktor asks suddenly, making Yuuri jump a little and almost drop the clothes in his hands.

"Oh, um... it's just a place where all the rooms are spelled to nullify scent, and they can be locked easily with spells, so that no one can break in. Some people invite friends to join them, but, um... I usually go alone." Unless Chris offers to join him, or asks him to share his own heat, but Yuuri has no intention of contacting Chris this time.

"So you'll be by yourself the whole time," Viktor confirms, and Yuuri nods, folding the last item into his suitcase and closing it.

"They provide water and everything. And I'm full from your ice energy," he realizes, though he wonders if it will hold up against an incubus' lusts. Elemental energy has never been enough for him before, but maybe since it is Viktor...

"Mmm," Viktor hums. "Come here for a moment, Yuuri."

Still thinking about Viktor's energy, gently chilling inside him, Yuuri goes to Viktor's side, stopping in front of him and accepting Viktor's hands when he reaches out to entwine their fingers. He flushes a little as Viktor pulls him closer to stand between his legs, but doesn't move away, not minding the closeness.

Until Viktor reaches up to catch his face in his hands, drawing Yuuri down for a kiss. Yuuri freezes in his grasp, and Viktor doesn't hesitate, deepening the kiss immediately, fanning Yuuri's heat to life, hot enough to set his every nerve on fire. Yuuri gasps, his hands scrambling to grip onto something, finding Viktor's shirt, his waist, and yet he wants _more_ immediately, wants to feel Viktor's skin against his -- and then Viktor pauses, his lips curling into a smile.

"Okay?" he breathes against Yuuri's lips, shaking him out of the daze from Viktor's kiss. He shudders, reaching up to grip Viktor's wrists, yet not pulling away. Yuuri knows Viktor would stop if he asked, if he gave the slightest hint that he didn't want this... as would he, if he sensed that Viktor was too overcome by his desires. He nods finally, relaxing into the touch, as if it is any other touch between them. As it should be.

He has been denying himself this closeness, and it almost hurts to give in, his body too sensitive as his heat throbs within him, but Viktor is gentle, familiar, and that more than anything relaxes Yuuri. He nudges Viktor's chin up, coaxing Viktor's lips apart and catching his faint gasp with a sigh. He has kissed others, but never before has the touch been so intense, so full of emotions and need, and he wonders if intimacy is like this for everyone else all the time. If it is, he can understand, just a little, why everyone is so bent on love and sex. Viktor is the only person who makes him feel this way.

Viktor's hands slip down to his waist, dragging up his back, and Yuuri leans into the kiss, resting his arms on Viktor's shoulders. Viktor's hands clench briefly against his back, and Yuuri _wants_ , hopes that he will deepen the kiss more, pull Yuuri down with him... but the idea of falling into bed with Viktor like this is a little daunting. At the thought, Viktor pulls away a little, giving Yuuri room to breathe, his vivid eyes opening halfway to meet Yuuri's glowing red gaze.

"Think of me," Viktor whispers, making Yuuri _burn_ for a moment, a heady shiver running through him. Viktor smiles a little, kissing Yuuri again lightly, then gently pushes him away, catching his hands and squeezing before letting him go completely. "I'll wait for you to come home."

It hurts to leave Viktor like that, sitting on Yuuri's bed like he belongs there, but Yuuri does. Stepping back once, then again, until the pressure between them lessens enough for him to think clearly, past the fog of lust and affection and need. Enough to take his suitcase and retreat to the spell circle, holding Viktor's stare as the symbols light up and take him away to the Underworld.

He won't think of anything else.

~*~

From his apartment in the Underworld to the room he takes in the heat halls, Yuuri can only think of Viktor's lips. Fortunately he had already cast his scent-nullifying spells, otherwise he would have been an easy target for anybody interested in his heat. He makes it to the heat halls without incident and is led to an empty room with a bed, an attached bathroom, and little else, which suits his needs perfectly. A small cooler sits in the corner, filled with water and snacks, but Yuuri ignores it, as well as the dresser where he could store his belongings. Instead he leaves his suitcase by the door and lets his glamour fade, his wings unfurling from his back.

As he makes his way to the bed, Yuuri undresses, leaving his clothes strewn on the floor and not caring to fold them. He sits on the edge of the bed without really noticing it is there, his gaze faraway, absently reaching up to touch his lips. He cannot stop thinking about Viktor's kiss.

He wishes he had stayed with Viktor.

Yuuri isn't ready for that yet. He is still coming to terms with his feelings for Viktor, with the growing relationship between them, and -- still more stands between them, things unsaid, not to mention Yuuri's contract with Lilia, and the spell Viktor put on him. He still has no idea who Viktor really is. He knows who Viktor is as a person, but as for his identity in the Underworld...

No, he is not ready to have sex with Viktor. The slow, easy progression of their relationship has helped him come to terms with his feelings and with his own desires, and still yet he is afraid of the force of his wants and needs. He has little doubt that Viktor can satisfy him, but... he worries that with his lack of expertise, he could never satisfy Viktor. His clients have all been content with the sex he provided them, but... the intimacy he seeks with Viktor is already vastly different than any sex he has had with a client.

He doesn't see Viktor as a client, and therein lies the problem -- because Viktor is supposed to be a client, at the end of the day. At face value, at least, but Yuuri has never considered him a client, not since the beginning, not since Viktor found a place in his heart and grew his feelings into something Yuuri realized he needs. He doesn't want to fulfill his assignation with Viktor -- he wants Viktor to be his lover.

Yuuri sighs, falling back against the bed and staring up at the ceiling, dragging his nails lightly across his stomach in thought. His contract with Lilia expires in August. That gives Yuuri three months to decide whether to renew it or cancel it. More than ever, he does not want to renew it; he would rather continue to live with Viktor, either living off his elemental energy, or...

Yuuri swallows, his hand stilling. If he and Viktor became lovers, he would not need Viktor's ice energy. Having sex with him would be enough -- would be all Yuuri would need, ever. He could stay with Viktor, skate as he wants, and be _happy_.

Viktor makes him happy.

His eyes sting a little at the thought, and he reaches up cover his face with his arm, breathing in shakily. Would it really be that easy? 

_I'm not afraid of my feelings for you, Yuuri._

"Viktor," Yuuri whispers, as his throat tightens against sudden tears, love and hope and fear breaking through his control and leaving him trembling from the force of his emotions. More than anything he wants to go back, to go _home_ , and be with the one person he wants, but for now, he cannot. Viktor's energy still lingers inside him, and Yuuri holds onto that feeling, turning onto his side and curling himself around it, his wings folding over his body protectively.

For a time, he ignores his heat, clinging to the cold energy in his chest; eventually, his heat rises against it, siphoning the energy away, and Yuuri groans as his body flushes with his desire. He resists it, though, wanting only Viktor to sustain him, even if just through his ice. Unbeknownst to him, the red gem in his contract collar begins to glow as his innate energy dips low, but Yuuri is oblivious, his thoughts turning over a happier future.

Then he imagines Viktor waiting in his bed. His blood runs hot, and he cannot resist, not anymore. "Viktor," he gasps, his head falling back, opening his eyes wide. The glow in his eyes is faint now, matching the gem in his collar.

He _needs_. And Viktor said to think of him...

Biting his lips, Yuuri reaches down to press his palm against his hardening sex, dragging his hand up and shuddering. Viktor had scented him, desired him -- and Yuuri clings to that lingering feeling now, reaching up to his neck where Viktor had touched him, imagining Viktor _biting_ him, kissing him there. He wants it, that feeling of being claimed, of knowing that all of him belongs to Viktor.

He wants to claim Viktor, too. He wants to take Viktor apart piece by piece, with whispered words against his skin, with his mouth, with his hands, until Viktor begs him for relief. He wants to hear Viktor moan his name, wants to feel Viktor inside him, around him, beside him. He wants to make Viktor thoroughly, irrevocably _his_ , to fall into Viktor's open arms and belong to him.

"Viktor," Yuuri moans again, biting his lip and reaching up to lick his fingers, wetting them and shuddering, imagining Viktor in his mouth. Later, he can take his time, but right now he _needs_. He wraps his slick fingers around his cock and strokes, thrusting up into his hand at the same time. He digs his heels into the bed, finding just the right pace for his desire, his heat rising quickly within him. Usually his stamina is relentless, but Yuuri has been teased by Viktor for months; today, his limit is almost embarrassingly short. Too quickly, Yuuri is crying out Viktor's name, his pleasure spilling over his fingers.

The glow in his eyes brightens as the haze of sexual energy fulfills him, and Yuuri relaxes against the sheets, dazedly lifting his hand to lick off his release, wondering how Viktor would taste. The glow in the gem in his collar fades, and Yuuri falls asleep with a satisfied smile.

~*~

The next three days pass in a haze of pleasure and fantasies of Viktor. When Yuuri wakes on the fourth day of his heat, his head is oddly clear, the burning heat in his body no longer controlling his every thought. He lingers in bed for a while, smiling at the pleasurable aches in his body, before his stomach growls in protest at being ignored for too long. With a groan, Yuuri reluctantly detaches himself from the messy sheets and stumbles across the room, grabbing a bottle of water and drinking until his throat is no longer parched.

With a faintly disgusted look at the bed, Yuuri disappears into the washroom, determined to wash the stink of heat off his body. When at last he is clean and slightly less sore, Yuuri turns his attention back to the bed, frowning before stripping off the dirty sheets and shoving them into a basket in the closet, waiting a brief moment to watch them disappear in a flash of magic, then grabbing a new blanket.

After indulging in a few of the provided sweets and another bottle of water, Yuuri curls up in the center of the bed, exhausted, but with a small smile. He hasn't felt that satisfied by sexual gratification in a long, long time -- maybe never. He loves this new feeling of _liking_ sex, or at least the thought of sex -- all because of Viktor. He misses the curl of cool, icy energy in his chest, but if his heat is gone by the end of the day, he can return to Viktor tomorrow. 

A knock on the door draws Yuuri out of his thoughts, and he blinks, frowning in confusion. Nobody should be visiting him until his heat is over, even if he did just send laundry. "Who is it?" he calls out, sitting up and pulling the blanket closer to his body.

"It's me. I wanted to check and make sure you were alright," Christophe says behind the door, and Yuuri starts in surprise.

"Chris? Oh, um, sure," Yuuri flounders, then waves a hand at the door to unlock it. Chris opens it and steps inside the room, fully dressed for once. His gaze finds Yuuri immediately, and some tension within him relaxes. Yuuri stares at Chris as he closes the door behind him, leaving it unlocked, confused about his presence. "Er, not to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

Chris smiles a little, crossing the room and sitting at the edge of the bed, giving Yuuri ample room. His eyes flick toward Yuuri's neck, and Yuuri reaches up unthinkingly to the collar, his bafflement increasing. "Yuuri... your contract raised an alarm to Lilia a few days ago. Your energy readings were so low that, for a few moments, we thought you weren't alive. Then we were notified that you were here for your heat. Lilia called me in, thinking that you needed a partner for your heat, because your energy levels were dangerously low." His smile widens a bit at Yuuri's expression. "Thankfully you managed it on your own. Lilia and I have been monitoring your energy for the past few days. I was worried."

Yuuri gapes at him in shock. "Eh? Really? But I've been here the whole time... I don't understand. I never felt like I was in danger."

Chris nods, exhaling slowly. "You've been in the Overworld for an assignation, correct?"

"Yes... but what does that have to do with it?"

Chris' stare pins him still, and Yuuri swallows, starting to realize what Chris means. "Yuuri, have you had any sex since you went on that assignation?"

Yuuri looks away. Chris sighs softly, then moves closer to sit beside Yuuri, reaching up to touch his shoulder. "Lilia said you've been on this assignation for four months. All that time with no sex... no real energy. How have you been surviving?"

"I make do," Yuuri says, short and hesitant. The spell around his throat stops him from explaining anything further; he can feel it reacting a little. "Lilia- _neesan_ didn't think it was an issue. She never said anything about it in our meetings."

But that wasn't true. Lilia had suggested that Yuuri seek other partners while seducing Viktor; she had expressed worry for him every time she had passed over the paltry amount of energy crystals for the month. Yuuri hadn't used any of them yet; he had been fine with Viktor's ice energy.

"Yuuri. Look at me, please." Yuuri hesitates a moment, but Chris' worry stings at his guilt, and he turns his head to watch Chris, who looks unusually somber. "Four months without sex for an incubus is like a death sentence."

"I've gone for longer," Yuuri says without thinking. Then he averts his gaze when Chris' attention sharpens. "I'm not good at sex, you know that. It's fine when it's someone I know, or if it's someone I match well with, but... you have it easy, you enjoy sex, you've never wanted for energy. I don't enjoy it. I don't care if I go without sex for a long time. I hate having to _need it_ ," he mutters, hurt and upset. He didn't want to think about this, not after such a lovely heat, the first heat he has enjoyed in a long time. Not after coming to terms with his feelings for Viktor.

"I'm sorry," Chris says quietly, rubbing Yuuri's shoulder. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just worried. Lilia and I have no idea how you've managed for this long without any sexual energy."

Yuuri shrugs, accepting Chris' apology and relaxing slightly. "Like I said, I make do." He can't explain it, not without giving away Viktor's identity; even thinking about telling Chris he survives on elemental energy is making the spell react. He can sense Chris' worry, stronger than he expected, and he wonders at Chris waiting anxiously for three days, until the first sign that Yuuri was sane again. He relents a little, reaching up to grip Chris' hand and looking at him. "I'm alright, Chris. I'm sorry for worrying you."

Chris sighs, drawing Yuuri closer for a hug, resting their heads together. "Is this assignation really worth it?" Chris wonders, and Yuuri softens, thinking of Viktor waiting for him back home.

"It's Viktor, so of course," he replies without thinking, then gasps and covers his mouth. He didn't mean to tell Chris that it was Viktor -- but the silencing spell hadn't reacted. Of course; Chris, like any other _mara_ knows about Viktor -- as a _human._

"Viktor," Chris repeats, pulling away from Yuuri and staring at him. Yuuri smiles a little sheepishly. "Viktor Nikiforov. You're working on _him_?"

"Lilia assigned me to him," Yuuri explains with another shrug. Chris blinks a few times, something like a frown crossing his expression, and before Yuuri can glimpse the thoughts through their touch, Chris lets go of him, shaking his head.

"Well, I suppose that's as good a prize as any. How was your heat?" Chris asks, the odd emotion passing, and Yuuri eyes him for a moment but puts the strangeness aside for now. 

"It was okay. I'm tired, though," he sighs. "It should be done by tomorrow, then I'll go back."

"Alright," Chris agrees, nonchalant, then smiles a little. "Do you mind if I sit with you while you rest? Just for a while. I just... need to reassure myself that you're okay."

Yuuri reddens a little, feeling guilty again for worrying him. He hadn't realized that the contract was so sensitive that it had felt the last of Viktor's energy leaving him, at the very beginning of his heat, before he had satisfied himself and his own energy needs. It usually doesn't recognize elemental energy, but then... Yuuri has been ignoring his sexual needs, and he knows it. It is no wonder that the contract reacted.

"Okay," he whispers, curling up beneath his blanket again, and Chris smiles a little, reaching down to run his fingers through Yuuri's messy hair. Yuuri allows the touch, sensing Chris' need to be close to him, thinking he is lucky to have Chris for a friend. He smiles a little, relaxing into a light doze, content to let Chris pet him.

He wakes a little when, sometime later, another knock sounds at the door. Chris lets go of him and goes to answer it, and Yuuri doesn't move, trusting Chris to handle whoever wants to see him.

"I was wondering if you'd come," Chris says quietly to the person at the door.

"Of course I came," Lilia Baranovskaya replies, just as quiet, her voice coming closer to the bed, and Yuuri stills, surprised. He closes his eyes again, feigning sleep, relieved when neither Chris nor Lilia touch him. Otherwise, they would sense that he is awake, and he is curious. "How is he?"

"Better," Chris answers, standing beside the bed, a small sigh escaping him. "Unsurprisingly, he had no idea he was in danger."

"Mm. I suspected that was the case. Yuuri would have visited a healer if he thought he was unwell." They stand quietly for a few moments, and Yuuri can feel their stares on the back of his head. He wills himself not to move, to give away any indication that he is awake.

After a time, Chris speaks again, his voice low. "Yuuri told me that you assigned him to Viktor Nikiforov."

A pause. "Yes, I did."

Chris huffs out a short breath, almost angrily. "And did you tell him who Viktor Nikiforov is, exactly? As in the fact that Viktor Nikiforov is a princeling in your estranged mate's family? As in Viktor _Velenos_ , your nephew?"

Yuuri freezes, not believing what he is hearing. _What?_

"No, I had not told him as much," Lilia answers after a moment, ignoring the accusing tone. "I promised long ago to keep his identity a secret. I suppose you remember meeting him as a child. I wondered if you hadn't. You must have realized why, when I didn't send you personally to seduce him."

Chris snorts. "Of course. Viktor is my friend, I would have seen through his disguise immediately. I never revealed his secret, but I never agreed with the way you handled it, either. Sending so many _mara_ after him like that? He's sick of it, you know. He doesn't need you and Yakov interfering with his life." He pauses, as if realizing his voice has risen, unwilling to wake Yuuri, who is frozen with disbelief. "You didn't tell Yuuri any of that. If I had known that Yuuri's assignation was Viktor..."

"It wasn't necessary at the time." Lilia sighs softly, weariness entering her tone. "Both Yakov and I want what is best for Viktor, even if he does not agree with either of us. If you knew half of what Viktor has been put through --"

Chris cuts Lilia off before she can continue. "I know about the clause."

Lilia stares at him a moment, and Chris smiles ruefully. Yuuri doesn't dare move. "Who do you think first offered to help him? Viktor is stubborn, though. He thinks he can win."

Lilia finally smiles, though the mien is sad with old love. "I do not doubt that he does. It will be hard for him, though." She is silent for a long moment, as if deciding how much to tell Chris. "Viktor would remain oblivious and content in the Overworld for the rest of his life if he could. His family will not allow that. That particular clause was yet another trap meant for Viktor, but he danced around it easily by ignoring it. Still... he only has so much time left before they force the issue."

"Viktor will not give in to them. He won't choose a _mara_ , either. It's useless sending us to him. Is that why you sent Yuuri?"

"I thought, perhaps, that Yuuri would charm Viktor."

Chris stiffens slightly, then exhales. "Yuuri is very charming -- however, he and Viktor are not suited for each other at all. I'm sorry, but I don't want Yuuri to go back to him. Viktor is a good person, but he breaks hearts like glass. Like the ice he favors. Yuuri doesn't need that sort of pain."

Lilia does not respond for a long moment, her gaze remaining on Yuuri's form. "That may not be up to you," she says slowly, and Chris frowns at her.

"Surely you would not force him to go back? After what just happened?"

Lilia's vivid red eyes flick up to meet Chris' irritated gaze. "I would never force Yuuri to do anything he does not wish to do. I suspect he will go back on his own to be with Viktor, no matter what you or I say. Yuuri has not said as much, but I have seen him more comfortable with himself these past few months than ever before. Somehow, Viktor fulfills a need in Yuuri. I wonder... if he already knows Viktor's true self."

Chris stares at her, then follows her gaze to Yuuri's still form. "You think so?"

Lilia's voice is soft, considering. "I meet with Yuuri every month to review his assignations. Viktor has been Yuuri's target for almost four months now. Every time Yuuri comes to me with an update, he tells me he has made progress, that Viktor enjoys his company, and that he thinks he can succeed. It is unlike every report Yuuri has ever given me... he never thinks so positively of his abilities. Yet I sensed hesitance in Yuuri's responses for Viktor, that he was not telling me everything, and I did not press him, as I did not want to upset his confidence. Yet now I wonder... if Yuuri is not already aware of Viktor, and is protecting him."

Chris stays silent for a long moment. "Yuuri has never given a hint that he knows, though, and Viktor would never let someone know his secret like that. Not without..."

He turns to meet Lilia's gaze, sharing the same thought. Lilia strides over to the bed and leans down to nudge Yuuri onto his back, and Yuuri follows the motion, keeping his eyes closed, his heart in his throat. She touches the collar around Yuuri's throat, pulling it off when the metal breaks apart. She murmurs a few words under her breath, passing the palm of her hand over Yuuri's neck. Chris watches in mute shock as a blue spell, faintly glowing, shimmers into view, wrapped around Yuuri like a second skin.

"A silencing spell," Chris whispers, horrified. Anger licks at the edge of his voice, then fades, as if he is too tired to be upset. "Can we take it off?"

"I suspect not, because Yuuri consented to its presence. These lines here," she points without touching Yuuri, and Chris follows the motion with a frown. "This spell could only be cast if the recipient was willing. As I thought... Yuuri knows of Viktor's identity. How much he knows, I cannot say, but he consented to this spell to keep Viktor's secret." She sighs deeply and straightens, her gaze troubled. "Viktor is very good with arcane magic. He was Yakov's best student. Likely, he is the only person who could take this off Yuuri, unless I ask Yakov to look at it... but I do not want to bring Yakov into this. Not yet."

Chris breathes out slowly. He shakes his head and paces away from the bed, then back, his frown deepening. "So what should we do?" he asks quietly, almost not wanting to know the answer.

Lilia taps a finger against her red lips as she contemplates Chris' question. "Mm... we will observe for now. It is possible that even if we reveal our knowledge of Viktor, Yuuri will still be unable to speak of it with us within the constraints of this spell, so there is no point in stressing him further right now. However, we can appeal to Viktor's rationality to take off the spell, can we not?"

"Perhaps I should visit him myself," Chris says slowly. "If it won't put Yuuri in danger..."

Lilia nods slightly, tapping her finger against her cheek. "Yes. As soon as you can, preferably while Yuuri recuperates." At Chris' nod, she casts her gaze over Yuuri again. "I will meet with Yuuri in two weeks, our normal meeting. At that time, I will tell him about Viktor, and I will suggest that he end this assignation. I will also suggest that instead of renewing his contract with the clans, for Yuuri consider a mate to solve his energy problems. It would be best for him." She sighs softly. "I thought, perhaps, that Viktor would be good for Yuuri, but it is becoming clearer every day that he is not. Whatever agreement exists between them, I doubt Viktor is serious about keeping it."

"I want to be present for that meeting," Chris states, meeting Lilia's gaze when she frowns at him. "In fact, I want to be present for every important meeting you have from now on. Especially the ones with Yuuri and your other protégés, and all of the ones like him who dislike sex."

Lilia is silent for a long moment. "Then you mean to accept my proposal."

"Yes. I cannot sit silent on this any longer. Not when my friend has suffered because of the laws that govern our race." He sighs, his gaze dropping to Yuuri, saddening a little. "I will change things. I do not want what happened to Yuuri to happen to anybody else. What doesn't work, I will fix. So that I will never find another _mara_ child crying in the closet because they hate themselves."

Lilia inhales softly, and Chris smiles, reaching out to brush Yuuri's hair from his eyes. "I will be your successor, Lilia. If you will have me."

When Chris finally looks up at Lilia, she is smiling. "I can think of no better person for the job."

Together they put Yuuri's collar back on his neck, to continue observing him in case his energy dips again, then leave the room quietly. Chris does not wish to leave Yuuri alone, but he forces himself to leave for a few hours, though, secure with the knowledge that Yuuri will sleep off his exhaustion, to follow Lilia back to her office to finalize their agreement. He decides to visit Viktor after Yuuri's heat has passed, which should last only another day or so. Yuuri will be out of sorts long enough that he can convince Viktor to remove the silencing spell, or so he hopes.

Yuuri does not let him, though, because when Chris returns to the heat halls, Yuuri is gone.

~*~

Yuuri sits silent and alone against the warm side of a great rock, his head buried in his arms. Steam rises around him, from the hot spring nearby and the other springs in the distance, spells and wards glowing softly to protect him from human sight. He breathes in through his tears, wretchedly, hating that he had felt so wonderful this morning. How swiftly it had changed.

Misery threatens to overwhelm him. He can't believe that Lilia lied to him -- that _Viktor_ lied to him. Chris is the only person who didn't lie to him, by virtue of not knowing the situation, and Yuuri trusts that Chris would have told him the truth immediately. That Lilia did not, and sent him to Viktor knowing he was a demon... and that Viktor _knew it_ and did not tell him...

He swallows, his heart aching. It all has to do with Viktor's family -- and maybe it is larger than him, maybe Viktor has a valid reason for not telling him, maybe Lilia had been keeping a promise to someone else and couldn't tell him... but that doesn't make it hurt any less. 

"Yuuri?" his mother calls from the entrance, and Yuuri starts, dragging his arm across his wet face, not looking up.

" _Okaasan_ , he mumbles, ashamed of his tears. "I'm sorry for dropping in so suddenly..."

Hiroko steps into the clearing, walking around the hot spring and kneeling in front of Yuuri. Her eyes reflect the deep blue of the water for a moment, and the sight of her real features, if only briefly, relaxes Yuuri a little. "What's wrong, Yuuri?" his mother asks softly, her Japanese soothing after months of Russian, English, and demon languages, brushing his hair behind his horns. "You're always welcome home. What happened?"

The spell at his throat tightens a little, and Yuuri sighs shortly, hating it suddenly. "I can't tell you," he whispers, and Hiroko frowns a little, wrapping her arm around his bare shoulders.

"Did someone hurt you? Was it that _oni_ in _Nijinomatsubara_? I'll have a talk with his parents if he's bothered you!"

Yuuri laughs, a little wetly. "No, it wasn't him. It was..." He swallows against the constraints of the spell. "Someone lied to me. I trusted them, and they lied to me, and it hurts. I think... maybe they had a good reason for it, but it still hurts. I don't know how to deal with it."

Hiroko's frown softens a little, and she rubs Yuuri's back. "Have you talked to your friend about it?"

Yuuri shakes his head. He hasn't dared go back to Viktor yet. Hiroko rubs his back for a few moments, then leans back and waves her hands through the air, summoning a _jinbei_ from the inn. "Up, Yuuri, you must be cold." Yuuri isn't, but he accepts the shorts and stands, sliding them on, and Hiroko smiles up at him, reaching up to fluff his hair a little.

"Let's get you a _katsudon_ to eat, okay? Then you can go back to your friend and talk to them properly." Her smile widens when Yuuri stares at her, turning him around and patting his wings. "Let's put these away for now, okay? If your friend has upset you, it's better to be honest about it. If they won't listen, you can come back here and eat more _katsudon_ and stay with us."

Yuuri hesitates, then nods and casts his glamour, his demonic features fading away. He takes the _jinbei_ top from his mother and pulls it on, and Hiroko waves his hands away and ties them for him, patting his arms.

"There, much more comfortable." She smiles up at him, and Yuuri cannot help smiling back.

His mother has always understood him, even though he has spent years apart from her, and he is grateful for her love. She is right, more than right -- he should talk to Viktor properly and let Viktor explain himself. "Thanks, _okaasan_ ," he whispers, letting her lead him away from the hot springs, his mind lingering on Viktor and all that they will discuss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! That was a long chapter! About 2.5k longer than usual, if you were curious, and mostly because of the whollop of plotplotplot.
> 
> How many of you are completely done with both of them? XD At least next chapter, we'll have a proper talk! Will Viktor FINALLY tell all?! ;D
> 
> Also, you lovelies gave me MORE FANART. How??? Are you so awesome??? THANK YOU (*^▽^*)  
> [This FABULOUS art of Yuuri and Viktor cuddles and scenes from chapter 6](http://ironphoenixart.tumblr.com/post/155569957306/i-am-completely-in-love-with-amberstarfight-s) by @ironphoenixart!  
> [This BEAUTIFUL art of Incubus!Yuuri](http://incoherentorca.tumblr.com/post/155442189756/incubusyuuri-from-this-gorgeous-fic-by) by @incoherentorca!  
> [This GORGEOUS art of Eros!Skating!Yuuri](https://twitter.com/AshleyScribe/status/821239799159918592) & [ice demon!Viktor](https://twitter.com/AshleyScribe/status/821563214953639937) by @ashleyscribe!  
> (added) [This AMAZING comic of chapter 1 and incubus!Yuuri](http://singing-swan.tumblr.com/post/156052455614/in-which-i-express-my-love-through-drawings-with) by @singing-swan!
> 
> Thank you for reading and enjoying! Let me know what you think ;D


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*´♡`*) Beta'ed by the perfect @kaavyawriting!

With a smile on his face and Makkachin at his heels, Viktor jogs alongside the Neva. He breathes in the springtime air and tilts his head back to the sky, wondering if Yuuri will be home when he returns, briefly giddy at the thought. He misses Yuuri, misses waking him up gently in the mornings when Yuuri is grumpiest, misses cuddling with him and Makkachin on the couch. He has not been apart from Yuuri for this long in the entire time they have known each other, and he aches to see Yuuri again, to know that he is alright after his heat.

A large part of Viktor wishes that he had joined Yuuri for his heat. He knows, though, that he is not ready, nor is Yuuri, though he is not lacking in dedication or love. He wants everything to be perfect between them, no matter what his family says, or what the rest of the Underworld thinks. Yuuri is perfect. Viktor will do anything to make him happy.

At the thought, Viktor flushes a little, happy, and a little embarrassed. How did he get to be so lucky, to meet Yuuri and earn his trust? It should have been easy to resist him, in the beginning, when he didn't know Yuuri and couldn't know how easy it was to fall in love with him. Yet from the very first time Viktor had spotted Yuuri, months ago that he is certain Yuuri doesn't even remember, he had been drawn to Yuuri, enticed first by his scent, then by his awkward smiles, then by his sweet charm. Not to mention Yuuri's utter respect toward Viktor and his lifestyle... and his love for Makkachin.

Viktor still doesn't have a reason to resist him. Whatever comes of his family's decisions, he has made his own. He has chosen Yuuri.

Makkachin slows and pushes against his leg, and Viktor beams down at her, patting her head. "Shall we go home, Makkachin?" She barks in agreement and swings them both around, and Viktor laughs, turning on his heel to follow, then falters when he lifts his gaze.

Christophe is walking toward him briskly, clad in a barely finished human glamour that does nothing to hide his glowing gaze. Viktor raises an eyebrow, unsure what he has done to upset Chris, but he sees no reason to run from his old friend. "Chris!" he calls with a smile, raising a hand in a wave.

Chris grimaces, as if torn between a smile and a frown. "Viktor," he greets, stepping into his path as Viktor stops and slipping into French, one of the human languages they share. "I'd say it's good to see you, but to be honest, I'm a little angry with you right now. That's not important at the moment, though. Have you seen Yuuri?"

Viktor pulls up short, blinking at Chris, completely stunned. He takes a moment to process everything Chris said, wariness blooming in the back of his mind. He hasn't seen Chris in months, and the last time they parted was amicable, so he doesn't think he has done anything to Chris, personally. For Chris to ask about Yuuri, though, begs other questions.

He returns Chris' frown, worry cutting through the wariness. "Ignoring the fact that I didn't know you knew Yuuri, no, I haven't seen him for a few days."

Chris gives him a ghost of a smile. "Yuuri is a longtime friend of mine. I've known him since we were children." He takes a deep breath, his eyes glinting. "Funnily enough, I didn't know you knew him, either."

Viktor nods slowly, reaching down without thinking to pat Makkachin's head when she whines. "It's a bit of a long story. More importantly, why are you looking for Yuuri? He should be in the Underworld."

Chris stays silent for a long moment, then exhales. "Yuuri was in the Underworld, but he left last night and hasn't returned. I think... he may have overheard something upsetting." He meets Viktor's eyes for a moment. "Concerning you."

Viktor stares at him, eyes slowly narrowing. His past isn't clean and free of mistakes, and he has no idea what might have set Yuuri off. He doesn't like the sound of Yuuri alone and upset, no matter what he has done. "I think you better explain everything to me," Viktor says slowly, the air around them chilling a little. Chris shivers, then raises his eyebrows, a curious look lighting his eyes.

"Lead the way, then."

Viktor leads Chris to his apartment, crossing the distance quickly, worry sickening his mind. Makkachin stays quiet beside him, cautious toward Chris even though she has met him before, more attuned to Viktor's anxiety than ever. He pats her head absently as he fishes out his keys, his heart beating a bit faster, wondering if Yuuri has come home while he was away -- but no, the apartment is empty. Behind him, Chris breathes in deeply, and Viktor knows what he is scenting -- Yuuri, everywhere.

"He lives with you."

Viktor smiles slightly as he lets Chris inside, unhooking Makkachin's leash and watching her bound over to her water bowl. "What is this about, Chris?"

Chris leans against the counter, hip cocked in a confident pose, though his shoulders draw in a little, as if his confidence is more habit than anything else. The expression on his face speaks worry, confusion. "I'm not sure anymore. I came here wanting to yell at you for leading Yuuri on, but... this place doesn't smell like a den of sexual slavery. It smells like a home. Yuuri's home, and yours."

Viktor struggles not to react to 'sexual slavery,' though the accusation leaves him on edge. The very thought of him using Yuuri in such a way sickens him. Viktor glances at Yuuri's room reflexively, and Chris follows the motion, straightening. Before Viktor can stop him, Chris has crossed the room and opened the door, leaning in and surveying the space that Yuuri has carved around himself, filled with his clothes, the pillows he has stolen from the living room, the knickknacks and spell components on his dresser. Yuuri keeps his room very tidy, and it always smells nice to Viktor when he gets to visit. Viktor huffs, irritated that Chris would invade Yuuri's space, but Chris only closes the door again and turns to him, confusion plain on his face.

"Well?" Viktor says, his tone sharper than he usually would take with Chris. He wants to find Yuuri. "Would you please explain what this is about?"

Chris takes a deep breath, then walks over to the couch and sits down, some tension in him draining away. Reluctantly, Viktor follows, taking the chair that Makkachin often claims. Chris glances at him, watching him carefully. "I assume you know that Yuuri was in the Underworld for his heat," Chris says, hesitant, and Viktor nods once. "He had an... incident." Viktor's alarm must show on his face, because Chris is quick to say, "Nothing major. I think it might have been a fluke of the spells Lilia uses to monitor him. He thought he wasn't in danger, and I know he keeps track of his own health. But... for a time, Lilia's spells showed his energy had fallen dangerously low during his heat, so she asked me to check on him. He was fine, though."

Viktor breathes out a sigh of relief, slumping a little in his chair, and Chris' keen gaze remains focused on him, considering. "I visited him for a little while," Chris continues, "and Lilia came in while Yuuri was resting. Lilia and I argued while Yuuri was in the room. I was upset with her, and I accused her of making Yuuri seduce you for the contract with your family."

Viktor's expression dies at the mention of the contract. Chris grimaces, as if sympathizing, but the wariness in him remains. "I understand why she did it. If you would just mate someone, you wouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense, you know." Chris softens the admonishment with a smile, but Viktor doesn't return it, crossing his arms as he leans back, making Chris sigh. "She had some things to say, and I had some things to say. None of it was very good. We talked about you, and this whole... mess." Chris sighs, gesturing to the room. "I don't know how much Yuuri heard. I think he woke up while we were talking, but I'm not sure, because he pretended to be asleep. Whatever he heard, it upset him, because he left the Underworld before his heat ended."

Viktor stays silent, frozen in disbelief. He wants to know what Chris and Lilia talked about -- what upset Yuuri enough to run away. He wants to get up and find Yuuri immediately, to soothe his distress and comfort him. He wants to know about the monitoring spells they have on Yuuri, why Yuuri would even agree to something like that. He hates that Chris even brought up the contract with his family, and he dreads what Yuuri might have heard about it. "How long has it been?" Viktor manages to say, his voice caught by his worry.

"Since last night. The monitoring spells say he's in good health, though. He's just... gone." Before Viktor can speak again, Chris' gaze sharpens. "Viktor, we found your spell on him. What were you thinking, putting a spell like that on Yuuri?"

Viktor starts at the mention of his spell. He almost asks if the spell is really still on Yuuri -- hadn't he taken it off already? No... he hadn't. He pales, sitting upright, and Makkachin comes over as she senses the change in atmosphere, pressing her head against his knee. Viktor reaches for her, gripping her collar then letting go, his fingers nerveless. "I can explain --"

"Do it quickly," Chris orders, and Viktor flinches back, then frowns back at him.

"Chris, you know what my family is like. You know how far they will go to break our agreement." Chris only stares at him, level and firm, and Viktor sags slightly, reaching up to pinch at the bridge of his nose. He can feel the apartment getting colder in response to his emotions, but he doesn't bother controlling it -- let Chris be uncomfortable for a while, for causing this nonsense.

Though Viktor can admit that it is his fault as well.

"I put that spell on Yuuri for his protection. I told him that, and I was honest about it, because if my family caught even the smallest rumor of an ice demon playing around in Russia, they would drag me back by my ear before the day ended. They wouldn't have spared Yuuri, either." Viktor exhales shakily, turning his gaze to the window, though he barely sees the world beyond the glass. "I didn't trust him then. He consented, in any case."

"That's changed, though," Chris says, quiet and sure, and Viktor looks at him sharply. Chris looks around the apartment then, and Viktor follows his gaze -- to Yuuri's coat, hanging by the door; Yuuri's mug with a poodle on it, sitting on the counter, waiting for the next cup of tea; the blue blanket Viktor got for Yuuri's room, that found its way to the living room when Yuuri trudged out one icy morning and wouldn't let go of it until Viktor had bundled him up in his arms. The apartment is no longer only Viktor's home -- it is also Yuuri's, and Chris can see this plainly.

Viktor sighs, reaching down to hug Makkachin, seeking her comforting warmth. The chill in the room lessens a little. "It has," he admits, a smile softening his mien. "Yuuri is very special to me. I don't want to let him go, Chris. No matter what my family thinks."

Chris inhales softly, and Viktor looks away, knowing he is blushing. Part of him wants to gush about his feelings, about the relationship he and Yuuri have built, but the urge is tempered by his worry, uncertainty creeping into his mind. Whatever Yuuri heard had been enough to chase him into hiding. Viktor wishes he had spoken with Yuuri before he left for his heat, about his family and the limitations on his life, but he had been waiting for the right moment.

Viktor hopes his explanation does not come too late. He sighs, dragging his gaze back to Chris. "Why aren't you yelling at me? I'm sure Lilia sent you for that reason," Viktor adds bitterly, and Chris shrugs, unrepentant.

"She did, but I don't think it would do either of us any good. Though Lilia isn't too happy with you, either," Chris warns. Viktor shrugs him off -- when is his family ever happy with him? -- before sliding off the chair to kneel before Makkachin.

"Makkachin, I'm going to find Yuuri and bring him home, okay? You'll be a good girl, won't you? Keep watch for me?" he cajoles, and Makkachin hops up to rest her paws on his shoulders, her tail wagging. Chris watches them, puzzled, until Viktor stands and faces him. "We can argue about who is right and who is wrong about all this, but I want to find Yuuri first."

Chris stands to meet him, exhaling and rubbing his hand back through his hair. Viktor gives him a wan smile, knowing their argument is far from over, but he has much more to say to Yuuri, so that he can fix what he has inadvertently ruined. "I haven't looked anywhere else in the Overworld. I tried you first," Chris tells him, frowning as he sets his hand on his hip again. "Yuuri tends to hunt in Japan and America, sometimes Europe. I can't think of any place he might go in particular..."

Viktor ignores the thought of Yuuri 'hunting' and considers it for a moment, frowning. They could end up searching for hours, days, if Yuuri chooses not to come home, and Viktor worries for him. What if Yuuri doesn't come home? What if he gets hurt, or attacked? Chris had said that Yuuri was still in his heat -- what if someone took advantage of him? His thoughts twisting frantically, Viktor thinks back to the few times he has spoken with Yuuri about traveling, about his favorite places in the Overworld. Then he remembers Yuuri's story about his family origins. "What about his parents? He told me they run an inn in Japan."

Chris turns his head sharply to stare at him, and Viktor blinks at him. After a moment, Chris purses his lips, his appraising expression returning. "He doesn't tell many people that."

Viktor puts aside his worry for a moment, trying not to feel pleased at that and failing. "Yuuri tells me a lot of things you would be surprised at."

"And have you told him much in return?" Chris asks lightly, his gaze fixed on Viktor, who falters.

"I couldn't tell him before --"

"So why not now?" Chris interrupts, his frown returning. "If you're playing with him, Viktor --"

Abruptly irritation wells up, and Viktor gestures angrily, cutting Chris off. "I'm not _playing_ with Yuuri, Christophe. I have always been serious about him. Whatever you and Lilia think of my relationship with Yuuri, I've been honest with him, so much as I could be. I would have told him everything eventually even without this happening. It doesn't matter what he heard from you, anyway. I'll tell him everything." He holds Chris' stare for a long moment, before he cannot wait any longer, his worry and fear for Yuuri's safety sending him across the room to his bedroom door. Viktor forces himself to pause, hand gripping the frame tightly. "I love him. Do not doubt my feelings for him. Never doubt that." He turns away from Chris' blatant shock and disappears into his room.

Viktor doesn't wait for Chris as he channels energy into the magic circle on his floor, focusing on Hasetsu, Japan.

~*~

Ice Castle is empty, and for that, Yuuri is grateful. Few enough people use the rink that the owners stay closed some days, and Yuuri takes advantage of it, using a bit of charm and his parents' sway to earn himself a key. The girl, Yuuko, leaves him with a smile and a wave as if they were old friends, and Yuuri smiles a little to imagine it, a life where he might have grown up with his family, skating and making friends with humans.

A dream, nothing more.

He drops his glamour after the doors are locked and laces up a pair of skates from behind the counter. They aren't as nice as the ones Viktor gave him, but he doesn't want to go home right now, so he makes do. When he glides onto the ice, his wings catch the air a little, and Yuuri slows, considering his wings for a moment.

Skating and flying seem incongruous, but Yuuri doesn't want to think about anything right now, so he focuses inward, on how he feels when he flies, and when he skates. The low ceiling of the rink and the flat surface of the ice don't really allow for what blossoms in his imagination -- he imagines soaring, skating up curved waves, solid beneath his feet until his wings pick him up -- but this world is better than a dream world.

He tries it, a few times. He manages, quite quickly, to fall on his face, bruising his ego as much as his body. He gets up again and lifts off, flying around the room before trying to land, and then he practices again, and again, until the wind sails past his ears and all he can feel is the cold. For the first time since he left Viktor, Yuuri laughs freely, breathless with the sensation. 

For hours, Yuuri skates and flies and lets the cold empty his mind, his heart, of all his turmoil. 

After a while, Yuuri tugs the glamour back on, wanting simply to skate without worrying about his wings. He doesn't bother with his routines, letting the halcyon feeling inside him guide his motions. He simply dances, the only sounds in the rink the cut of his skates against the ice. As Yuuri lands a quad toe loop, admittedly one of his favorites, he thinks again of his imagined rink of ice sculptures to make the perfect aerodynamic park, wondering if Viktor would like the idea.

He wishes Viktor were here, so that Yuuri could tell him about it. At the thought, Yuuri slows to a stop and nudges the ice with the pick of his skate. 

He wants to go home. Not to his family, but to Viktor and Makkachin. He wants to talk to Viktor and figure out everything between them. He wants Viktor.

Shoulders squaring, Yuuri turns to make his way to the edge of the rink, determined to do just that, then nearly falls over when he sees two figures standing by the doors. A small shock goes through him when he sees Viktor staring at him with wide eyes.

"Yuuri," Viktor whispers, then lurches past Chris, running across the ice to Yuuri, who stares at him in surprise.

"Viktor, skates!" he blurts out, but Viktor ignores him, his feet finding surety on the ice, as he was born to walk on it, and throws his arms around Yuuri, holding him tightly. Yuuri's breath hitches, just once, before he melts into Viktor's arms and reaches up to hug him back, turning his face into Viktor's shoulder. Having Viktor back in his arms soothes the hurt in his chest, just enough that his eyes sting in relief. Viktor smells _so_ good, and without thinking about it, Yuuri turns his face into Viktor's neck and breathes in, scenting him as Viktor has done to him countless times in the past. His heat is over, but the remnants linger in his system, enough for him to give in a little and enjoy Viktor like this. Real and solid and lovely.

Viktor's cold nose brushes beneath his ear, scenting him back, and Yuuri squirms a little at the feeling but doesn't stop him. He slips his fingers under Viktor's shirt, a little surreptitiously, but Viktor must feel it, because he rests his palm on the nape of Yuuri's neck in return, giving him a clear connection to his feelings. Yuuri opens his eyes a little when Viktor's emotions wash over him -- worry, sharp and hot and anxious, love and relief, and yet no small amount of fear, turning Viktor's sweet, cold scent acrid. Yuuri draws away with a frown, looking Viktor in the face, seeing his messy hair and frantic gaze.

Yuuri hates the sight of him so upset. "It's okay, Viktor," he murmurs, resting their foreheads together. "I'm here. I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri feels the truth of it, how truly sorry Viktor is, the emotion nearly overwhelming everything else. He softens further and kisses Viktor's cheek, letting his scent and touch calm Viktor, until he is no longer trembling, his grip no longer bruising.

When Yuuri lifts his gaze, he finds Chris staring at them, his red eyes half-closed in curious appraisal. In response Yuuri's entire face flushes, caught out by his friend, but he doesn't let go of Viktor. He is a little confused by Chris' presence but unwilling to be ashamed of his open display of emotion. Chris has seen all of his weaknesses before, anyway -- but maybe not Viktor's. He knows only that Chris and Viktor were childhood friends, though he does not know the extent of their friendship. His arms tighten around Viktor a little, wanting to protect him from others, even friends -- and he cannot know how friendly Chris is right now, given his antagonism toward Viktor yesterday. The spell at his throat tightens a little, and he wonders if he can speak of Viktor now, since Chris already knows.

He doesn't try.

Finally Viktor pulls away, but he does not let go of Yuuri, his vivid gaze finding Yuuri's face. "Christophe said that you left before your heat ended. I didn't know if..." Viktor cannot finish the words, but Yuuri can imagine it, his gaze softening a little.

"I'm okay," Yuuri repeats, and the calm from hours of skating seeps through him into Viktor, easing the tension out of him. "I stayed with my parents last night. Nothing happened." He ignores Chris for the moment and watches Viktor, remembering what he overheard, trying to sort the image of a demon prince with the reality of Viktor, and he cannot see it. Maybe a little. Viktor is rather spoiled, and Yuuri smiles a little. He should feel anxious right now, but all of his distress has melted away, giving him clarity. "I am upset with you, though," he tells Viktor, his voice gentling, and Viktor slowly returns his smile, his gaze sad.

"So I've heard." Viktor glances over his shoulder at Chris, who raises his eyebrows at them both, unable to hear their conversation but watching their intimacy all the same. "Whatever questions you have for me, Yuuri, I will answer. I'll tell you everything. Okay? Come home with me?"

Yuuri leans back a little, considering going back to Russia, and finding himself rather reluctant to do so. Not until they talk things out. He doesn't want their home to be filled with this argument. "I have a better idea... you could come stay at my parents' inn. It has hot springs, private ones," Yuuri adds, though how tempting that might be to an ice demon, he doesn't know. Viktor, at least, turns the question over, then nods.

"Should I go get Makkachin?"

Yuuri's heart melts a little. "I don't think we'll be away that long, but we can get her if we need to." Viktor leans in to kiss his cheek, brushing the corner of Yuuri's lips. He feels Viktor's guilt again, keen and sharp, before Viktor lets go of him. Then Viktor's expression turns serious, and he reaches up to Yuuri's neck, touching the hollow of his throat.

"This needs to go," Viktor murmurs, and Yuuri is struck silent as Viktor's eyes suddenly glow, as do his fingertips. Beneath his hand, the spell circle from months ago lights up, burning cold in Yuuri's skin, and with a sharp yank, Viktor pulls the spell off him, breaking it without a word and shaking away the remnants of magic, blue shards falling to the ice and fading away. Yuuri gasps as the spell leaves him, freeing his voice and thoughts, and Viktor ducks his head, kissing the skin of his throat where the spell had rested, a gentle apology.

"I'm sorry," Viktor murmurs against his throat, lips trailing up to where Yuuri's scent is strongest. Yuuri swallows, eyes wide as he stays frozen in Viktor's grip, a little rush of his heat returning, if greatly faded from when it first swept through him. "I shouldn't have cast this on you. Forgive me, Yuuri."

Yuuri stumbles and nearly falls, touching his bare throat in shock. Viktor catches him, his hand solid and firm against his back, and Yuuri leans into him, wrapping his arms around Viktor tightly, overwhelmed. For a few moments, they simply stand together. Yuuri doesn't know what to say. All of his anger and hurt has faded away, and he finds himself as muddled and confused as when he first ran to Hasetsu, the serenity in him dispersed alongside the spell on his skin. He hadn't thought Viktor would take the spell off immediately -- maybe he thought he would have to ask, or barter for a different spell, but for Viktor to trust him like this...

It hurts, and Yuuri cannot understand why.

After a while, Yuuri opens his eyes halfway after his heart has slowed from racing to something a little less anxious. Without skates on, Viktor is the same height as him, and Yuuri watches his feet for a moment, seeing running shoes. He shouldn't be surprised that an ice demon can walk on ice without slipping. He has never seen Viktor walk on ice without skates before. It seems a little forbidden, like he has seen something he shouldn't. Viktor rarely shows off his demonic abilities, for reasons that he has not told Yuuri. He wonders what else Viktor can do.

"Everything alright?" calls Chris from across the rink, and Yuuri startles in Viktor's arms. He had forgotten Chris was even there. Viktor turns slightly to watch Chris, his arm remaining around Yuuri's waist, and Yuuri hesitantly lifts his eyes to his friend, wondering what he must be thinking. Chris had agreed with Lilia that he should leave Viktor -- the last thing that Yuuri wants. He doesn't know what Chris wants, now.

"I'm okay," Yuuri replies, quiet and unsure. Viktor's arm tightens a little, before he lets go and takes Yuuri's hand, walking across the ice to Chris and gently pulling Yuuri with him. Yuuri goes without complaint, skating beside Viktor until he reaches the wall, grasping it with shaking fingers. Viktor does not let go of his hand. The strength of his grip fortifies Yuuri. "We're okay." Viktor's relief curls through him, and Yuuri relaxes a little, meeting Chris' interested gaze.

"Well, that was a bit dramatic, but interesting nonetheless," Chris says, a smile on his face. Yuuri and Viktor stare at him, nonplussed, and Chris' smile widens. "I'm starting to see why Lilia thought you two would be good for each other."

The reminder of Lilia makes Yuuri tightens his grip on Viktor's hand, hurt welling up in his throat again, bringing to mind what he overheard between Chris and Lilia. "I'm not going to leave Viktor, no matter what you two think. He's mine," Yuuri says, lifting his chin. Viktor starts beside him, shock curling through their touch, but Chris only laughs, shaking his head.

"After that, I have no doubt about it. Viktor, do you mind if I talk to Yuuri for a bit?"

Viktor visibly hesitates, looking at Yuuri for a long moment, before nodding and squeezing Yuuri's hand. Yuuri immediately feels bereft when Viktor walks across the ice to give them space, and he only looks away when Chris rests his hand over Yuuri's. He can feel how sorry Chris is, along with his relief that Yuuri is alright, and Yuuri exhales, focusing on Chris.

"I'm sorry about this, Yuuri. I had no idea that Viktor was your assignation, or that any of this was going on." Chris hesitates, glancing over at Viktor, who is watching them nervously, then shakes his head. "I would have told you about Viktor. I think he should tell you himself, now."

Yuuri nods a little. He has many questions for Viktor. "I'll talk to him."

Chris turns to watch him, red eyes gleaming. He rarely puts glamours over his eyes, which is just as well -- Yuuri prefers the familiarity. He is rattled enough as it is. "I hadn't realized you were awake yesterday. We shouldn't have talked like that in front of you. I'm sorry about that. I wanted to make sure that you're safe and well."

Yuuri bites his bottom lip, guilty that he let Chris and Viktor believe he was in danger. "I'm fine. My heat is over, and I just slept at my parents' place. No one bothered me."

"Mm, and now Viktor is here. Bothering you, perhaps." Yuuri's eyes flash upward, the red gleaming beneath his glamour, and Chris smiles at him, a little sly. "Can't hide it from a _mara's_ nose, Yuuri. I doubt you really have that in tonight's plans, though."

Yuuri shakes his head quickly, his gaze straying to Viktor. He hasn't thought about sex at all. "I just want to talk to him. I don't..." He hesitates, not knowing how to explain their relationship to Chris. He can barely explain it to himself. He was never good with talking out his feelings, even about something this serious. "Viktor is very important to me," Yuuri finally says, watching Viktor watch him. "I don't know how it happened, but it did. I guess Lilia- _neesan's_ plan worked after all. I, um... I care about him, and I know he cares about me. Past that, we're still figuring it out."

Chris makes a soft noise, encouraging, but Yuuri shrugs, looking down at the ice. His feet hurt now, cold from hours of skating, and he wants to go home. "Well," Chris says after a moment, "seems you're not the only one who feels that way." Yuuri takes a moment to process that, before he blushes, and Chris smiles. "Viktor and I spoke on the way over here. I was wrong about him. I thought he would hurt you, but... it looks like he's as serious about this as you are."

Yuuri can't help but look at Viktor again, his face heating up more as he fights a smile. "I won't leave him," he tells Chris, quiet and certain. "I don't want to end this. He has a lot to explain, but... we'll work it out." Yuuri shrugs a little, finally looking back at Chris. "Are you going back to Lilia- _neesan_?"

Chris nods, his smile fading. "I am, yes." His gaze softens a little. "I understand you're probably upset with her. I am too, but there's much you don't know, Yuuri. She was doing what she thought was right. So was Viktor, for that matter. Even if none of us like it." Chris glances at Viktor again, then leans over the barrier to kiss Yuuri's cheek. "I'll just tell her you're safe. We'll all talk about it in a couple weeks, alright? Relax. Don't worry about it. I'll talk to her, try to bring her around about you and Viktor."

Yuuri curls his fingers into a fist beneath Chris' hand. He yearns for the serenity he found while he was skating, then exhales a short sigh. "Thank you, Chris. Sorry for..." He grimaces, and Chris smiles, patting his hand and letting go. "How did you even find me?"

"Viktor thought you might visit your family, and your mother said you were here. I introduced him to her, by the way," Chris says, a cheerful edge to his grin that immediately makes Yuuri nervous. "She thought he was very charming."

"Oh, no," Yuuri whimpers, fearing what his mother might have said. Chris laughs, and the sound makes Viktor visibly twitch across the ice. Yuuri turns a little to watch him, sighing a little, and Chris shakes his head.

"Go put him out of his misery, Yuuri," Chris says, smiling in amusement and lifting a hand to wave at Viktor. "Take care of yourself." 

When Yuuri tears his attention away from Viktor, Chris is gone, and Yuuri fidgets for a moment, watching Viktor in the middle of the rink, thinking about what remains unsaid between them. He takes a deep breath and sets off, skating across the ice to Viktor and slowing, reaching for him. Viktor meets him halfway, taking his hand and tugging him close to rest their foreheads together, taking a deep breath.

"What now?" Viktor asks, hushed, nervous, and Yuuri closes his eyes, his throat aching a little. His heart is still sore, and he isn't sure what he should say.

Finally Yuuri lifts his head, his face warming as he kisses Viktor's cheek, once. He has thought about kissing Viktor again for days, but he cannot bring himself to do it now. His body aches a little as he remembers his fantasies from his heat, but the sexual urge is gone. All he wants is Viktor. He doesn't care about sex right now. "Come back with me?" he asks. 

Viktor slowly smiles, reaching up to cup Yuuri's face, kissing his cheek beneath each of his eyes, as if to kiss away the tears that dried long ago. Yuuri starts a little, shocked that Viktor noticed. It makes him want to cry again, but he bottles down the feeling, drawing away and leading Viktor to the edge of the rink again.

Viktor says nothing as Yuuri changes and puts the borrowed skates back, simply remaining by his side, and Yuuri appreciates it, though he has little idea how to start their conversation. After he locks the doors to Ice Castle and turns toward the city, the setting sun casting glowing orange and gold across the sea, Yuuri reaches out for Viktor's hand, relieved when he takes it immediately.

They set off down the stairs together. As they walk, Viktor takes a deep breath. "Why did you tell Chris you wouldn't leave me?" he asks, and Yuuri flushes at the reminder of his own possessive words.

"Chris and Lilia- _neesan_ were upset about your spell. They were talking about making us stop. She wants to pull me off assignations and enter the courting rituals. I won't do it," Yuuri finishes, fierce and determined, and Viktor stares at him, a little wide-eyed.

"Wow," Viktor murmurs, making the blush on Yuuri's cheeks spread to his ears. "I wouldn't want you to do that, either. Unless it was our courtship," he adds thoughtfully, making Yuuri trip and stare at him, just as wide-eyed. Viktor winks at him and brings their arms up together, twisting them so that he can kiss the back of Yuuri's hand. "But I might be getting ahead of myself, and I don't know what you'll think of me after I tell you the truth." He takes a deep breath and lowers their hands, holding Yuuri's gaze. "You can ask me anything. I'll answer honestly."

Yuuri sobers a little, his chin dipping as he considers all that he wants to ask Viktor. They walk in silence for a few minutes as Yuuri gathers his thoughts. "Chris said you're part of the Velenos family. The... heir?" Viktor hums in agreement. "If you're the heir, then... why are you here?" _With me?_ he can't ask, but his thoughts might be a little obvious, because Viktor squeezes his fingers.

"I'm here with you because I want to be," Viktor replies, simple and straightforward, and the words reassure Yuuri, enough that he manages to give Viktor a small smile. Viktor smiles back, then sighs. "My family is a little more complicated."

Viktor looks up at the sky in contemplation, his thumb rubbing over Yuuri's wrist. "I was not born to the main family. My mother is a daughter of one of the minor families, though her brother, my uncle Yakov, holds a lot of sway with the family head. My father is from a well-known family of wind demons. I may have been born an ice demon, but my father's line means that I can do fun things like this."

Viktor lifts a hand and twists it around abruptly, and a sudden, heavy gale of bitterly cold wind rushes past them, promising winter, despite the warm temperatures of spring. The tree branches creak and sway, and the nearby lamppost rattles. Viktor drops his hand, and the wind dies down. He catches the awed look on Yuuri's face and winks, though beneath his smile, Yuuri can feel desolation that has echoed for years. He stays silent, patiently giving Viktor the space for his thoughts.

"Neat, right? I inherited my gifts well. Powerful magic for a child, too clever for my tutors, and no care for limits. As such, Vel Moroz, the head of the Velenos family, made me his heir, not caring that I had no interest in it. I hated it. I had to follow rules all the time, and I was forced to give up my freedom, my friends, even my parents. They made me live in the main house and taught me magic, history, family secrets, and I hated every moment of it." He squeezes Yuuri's hand when a shiver of horror runs through him. "I ran away many times in my youth, but each time they dragged me back. I rarely left the Iriy realm as a child, and the few times I did, it was only to visit family. Like Lilia, and my father's family, but none others."

"That's horrible," Yuuri whispers, and Viktor shrugs a little.

"It is what it is. I learned to play their game, and it became a bartering system. If I behaved for a gathering, I would get a day of freedom. If I learned a spell, I would get to visit the _mara_ halls. Lilia was kind to me, because she didn't care about the family politics or their rules. She let me run free as I wanted, and I was able to meet all sorts of demons under her care, including Chris."

Yuuri cannot take his eyes off Viktor, aching for the child Viktor had been, alone in a world with so many demands. Viktor looks across the sea, and Yuuri waits quietly, sensing that Viktor is far from him, lost in memory. Black-tailed gulls cry from above, soaring over the bridge and toward the sea. The sound draws Viktor back, and he catches Yuuri's stare and leans over to kiss his cheek, smiling against his skin before drawing him over to the railing. The sun has set by now, but the sky remains lit up with color, the edges of the clouds touched with gold.

"When I became of age, my family decided I needed to mate, to secure my magical strength for the next heir. I balked and ran away, this time to the Overworld. I'd never been before, but I found myself in Russia, which was full of snow and ice, a world I could control. My family couldn't find me for a year, and during that time, I fell in love with skating. How could I not? You know," Viktor says softly, and Yuuri leans into him. He does know.

Skating feels like freedom. He can understand how Viktor, lost and aching from his shackles, had fallen in love with it.

"They dragged me back again. This time I went to Vel Moroz himself, and I told him how I felt. I suppose I wanted him to accept my feelings, but he didn't. He punished me instead, and for another year, I didn't see another person, except the servants, until I learned humility. At the end of it, I had to go in front of my entire family, bow to Moroz, and apologize for my actions."

Viktor laughs suddenly, his smile brightening. "I told him something else, something rather rude. Then I cast a spell that bound his magic, and I would not lift it until they made an agreement with me. A contract, signed by both me and Moroz. Their requirement was that I procure a mate and an heir. My requirement was that they let me do what I want, so long as I do not embarrass the family. They agreed, so long as I keep my business out of the Underworld, but in return I must go to a family meeting once a year." 

He smirks a bit, glancing over at Yuuri with a mischievous expression. "The contract says I have to create an heir, but it says nothing about when or how," Viktor finishes, and Yuuri exhales over a small laugh. "I've been ignoring the contract for years. They cannot force the issue, and I don't have to do anything, since I've not embarrassed them or caused them any grief." 

After a moment, Viktor lets go of Yuuri's hand and wraps his arm around his waist, tugging him closer and turning his nose into Yuuri's hair, and Yuuri allows it, giving him that closeness. "That is why I put the silencing spell on you. I didn't trust you then, and I couldn't chance you telling anyone about me. Any rumor, any at all, and my part of the contract would be null and void. I'd have to return to them and mate whoever they want, make a child I don't want to bring into their cold, brutal world."

Viktor leans back a bit to look at Yuuri, and Yuuri meets his gaze, feeling Viktor's honesty, the fear of his family that has lingered for years but which he cannot voice, and his heart aches more. "I trust you now. This is who I am. Viktor Velenos, at your service." Viktor manages another smile, but this one is small and nervous, scared of Yuuri's reaction, of his rejection.

Yuuri could never reject him, not in a million years. For a moment, Yuuri touches his throat where Viktor's magic had rested for months. It had hurt, yes -- but now he understands why. Still, he doesn't want anything to linger because of this. "I accept Viktor Velenos." He takes a deep breath, letting Viktor's joy run through him, his gaze dropping. "I don't accept the spell you cast on me. Do you know why it upset me?" Yuuri asks quietly.

"Because I bound you to silence," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri shakes his head.

"Not that. I understand why you did that. I accepted that long ago." He takes a deep breath and meets Viktor's gaze again, clear and steady. "I'm upset because you didn't tell me about Lilia- _neesan_. She's your _aunt_ , Viktor. Not by blood but... she's your family, and she's my boss, my _mentor_ , and I've had to lie to her for months, to make her think that I thought you were human. But you knew her the whole time, and neither of you told me anything about it. You both made me lie, and that made me feel horrible, Viktor."

Viktor's eyes are wide with hurt and guilt, and immediately Yuuri feels his rush of remorse. "I'm sorry, Yuuri," Viktor says, earnest in his regret, and Yuuri can't find it in his heart to reject his apology. "I didn't mean to put you in that position." He gestures, helpless, and Yuuri understands -- he knows that Lilia's identity as Viktor's aunt is part of Viktor's identity as the heir of the Velenos family, but it still hurts. Not as much now, though.

"I'm upset with Lilia, too, for putting me in this situation in the first place," Yuuri admits. Viktor squeezes his hand.

"It's my fault, Yuuri. My family's fault, too. She wasn't allowed to tell anyone about me. It's half the reason she's not speaking to Yakov," Viktor explains, his shoulders drooping. "That doesn't excuse it, though. I'm sorry I hurt you."

The fact that the first thing Viktor did upon seeing him again was to take off the spell tells a lot about how sorry Viktor is. Yuuri appreciates it, and at last, he lets go of the hurt in his heart. "I forgive you," he murmurs, his face warming, before he leans over to kiss Viktor, savoring the softness of his lips. He cannot explain how much Viktor's honesty means to him, nor he can blame Viktor for his wariness when they first met, given Yuuri had been there to seduce him.

Viktor melts against him, joy lighting up his eyes, and Yuuri hugs him tightly, closing his eyes as he falls a little more in love. He wants to tell Viktor how strong he is for what he suffered, but he cannot find the words, and so he merely holds him close, letting his lips speak the feelings he cannot say.

Something breaks a little in Viktor, and he sags against Yuuri, lifting shaking hands to cup his face, pressing soft, hurried kisses to his lips, his cheek, his eyelashes. "You are so perfect, Yuuri," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri's face heats up at the words, ducking his head and hiding his face in Viktor's coat.

 _No._ "You are," Yuuri whispers to Viktor's shoulder. He doesn't think Viktor hears him, but it doesn't matter. He thinks it every day, so surely Viktor must know it by now. After a moment, they both draw back, Yuuri sliding his hand into Viktor's and tugging him forward, ready to take Viktor home and treat him to the hot springs, as well as his parents' cooking. Viktor laughs a little and follows alongside him, watching Yuuri in soft wonder, and hesitantly, shyly, Yuuri returns the look, wondering at how someone like Viktor could possibly want someone like him.

If Viktor is required to find a mate for his family... where does Yuuri fit into his future?

Yuuri's thoughts skirt away from that, not quite ready to handle that thought. Another thought comes to him, and he remembers his conversation with Phichit, his eyes widening slightly. He glances around, seeing no humans, and casts a summoning spell for his phone, the device appearing in his palm. Unsurprisingly, he has several missed messages from Phichit, but he ignores them and scrolls up, ignoring Viktor's curious look.

"What's that for, Yuuri?" Viktor asks.

"Phichit said something about your family the other day," Yuuri replies as he pauses on the messages. "He said... oh," Yuuri falters, realizing that half of the conversation is about the mysterious ice demon who saw him in the Underworld... who is supposedly the heir of the Velenos family... and who is standing right beside him.

His gaze jerks up to Viktor, shocked. "I've met you before," Yuuri says, wonder in his voice, and Viktor blinks at him, bewildered.

"What?"

"Before, um, before Lilia- _neesan_ sent me to you. Or, not really met, just... I saw you?" Yuuri babbles, his nerves taking over. "I saw you. Um. In a restaurant? I think? As... yourself, not your glamour."

Viktor stares at him another moment, before a small smile curls over his lips. "I was wondering if you remembered that."

It is Yuuri's turn to stare. "What?"

Viktor grins that heart-shaped smile at him, squeezing his hand. "You saw me talking to Chris in Drinks On Us. I remember you, of course I do, Yuuri. You smelled _divine_ ," he sighs, leaning in to scent Yuuri again, catching his blush with his lips at the edge of his ear. "I wish I had spoken to you then, asked you out for a drink."

"Asked me out -- what?" Yuuri stutters, not believing his ears. He remembers being attracted to that demon -- to _Viktor_ \-- and he doubts he would have handled it well, if Viktor had strolled over and invited him out for a date. He clears his throat, embarrassed beyond reason, and Viktor laughs softly, giving him room to breathe. Yuuri focuses on his phone. "A-anyway, um, Phichit said there was a rumor going around that you, er, the Velenos heir... um, _you_ , that you're looking for a mate." He gives up on speaking after that mess tumbles out and locks the phone, determined not to let Viktor read Phichit's lurid messages.

Viktor's smile, which had widened as Yuuri tripped his way through that failure of a sentence, fades at his last words. "That I'm _what_? Are you certain?"

Yuuri nods, glancing at his phone again, his cheeks flushing. "He said that the Velenos heir was looking for a mate and thought I'd be interested. He was sitting with me that day I saw you. Do you want me to ask him about it? If there are any other details?" At Viktor's nod, Yuuri sends off a message to Phichit, then pockets the phone, watching Viktor's worried frown. "What do you think it is?"

Viktor scowls a little, sending a little shiver through Yuuri. "It could be my family stirring up trouble, or something else. They might be trying to manipulate me into fulfilling the contract. I don't know." He rubs a finger over his lips in contemplation, then exhales, some of the tension draining out of him. "The family meeting is in a few weeks. They're probably going to surprise me with something gruesome, like candidates for courting. They've done it before," he grumbles, tightening his grip on Yuuri's hand.

"Is that why Lilia- _neesan_ sends _mara_ to seduce you?" Yuuri asks softly. 

Viktor exhales in exasperation. "The deal with Lilia and the _mara_ is a mess, simply put. She sends _mara_ to me in hopes that I will choose one of them. She wants me to have my freedom of choice, I suppose, but both she and Yakov, my uncle, think that they can pick someone perfect for me. Though... I suppose Lilia did manage that," Viktor adds, glancing at Yuuri with a small smile, then forward again.

Yuuri cannot help his blush. After a moment of struggling to find his voice, he manages to say, "You're famous among _mara_ , though, because no one has seduced you."

"Had," Viktor corrects, making Yuuri blush all the more.

"Viktor! You know what I mean," Yuuri sputters, ignoring Viktor's wink. "My point is, Viktor Nikiforov is famous. Infamous, even. It's not just _mara_ , either. I've heard that everyone wants to get your energy, but they have no idea that you're a demon. I know, that's why you cast the spell, but..."

Viktor gives him a smile. They are close to Yuutopia now, the sky dark as the clouds roll across the stars. The moonlight touches Viktor's face, lighting up his pale eyes, giving them an unearthly glow that has nothing to do with magic. "Wouldn't it be embarrassing for the most powerful family in the Underworld, if their heir was found running around the Overworld as a human with nary a care?" He smirks at Yuuri's bemusement. "I didn't mean to become famous here. It happened, though, and I've been using it to play the game with my family, to keep them from bothering me. It's mostly Lilia's fault, because she kept sending _mara_ after me, and I kept rejecting them. I became a legend. A living legend."

Yuuri has to roll his eyes at that, as Viktor grins, delighted with himself. "A living menace, you mean," he replies, ignoring Viktor's exaggerated pout and pulling him into Yuutopia's courtyard. He hesitates at the entryway, peeking into the bright warmth, then up at Viktor. "So... you met my family?"

"I did, yes." Viktor watches him, eyes soft again. "Your mother was very nice. You look just like her."

"Okay. Well." Yuuri gathers himself, oddly nervous about his parents knowing Viktor. He has never brought an assignation home. Then again, Viktor is hardly an assignation, at this point. " _I'm home,_ " he calls out in Japanese as he ducks inside, sliding his shoes off and stepping into the building properly. Viktor follows his lead, hovering at his side for a moment before one of the tables nearby distracts him.

His mother spots him immediately and brightens, setting down the tray in her hands and bustling into the front hall. "Yuuri! _Welcome home! Did you have a nice time skating?_ " Her gaze shifts to Viktor, and the warmth there surprises Yuuri. " _I see Vicchan found you._ "

"Vicchan?" Yuuri repeats, bewildered, glancing over at Viktor who shrugs at him, smiling with an expression of one who doesn't understand what everyone around them is saying.

Hiroko shuffled closer to Yuuri, her smile soft as she watches Viktor peek at the wares on the souvenir table. " _Is he your friend? The one you're upset with?_ " Yuuri flushes with embarrassment, unsure how much Japanese Viktor knows, though Viktor could learn it easily.

" _I'm not upset with him anymore,_ " Yuuri replies, then ducks his head to hide his smile. " _We talked. We're okay now._ "

Hiroko smiles at him, reaching up to pat his cheek. " _Good. Why don't you two go bathe? Then upstairs for dinner._ " Dinner, which is really Viktor's lunch, and Yuuri's as well -- he hasn't eaten all day. Upstairs means the family room, which means his mother knows that he and Viktor are close enough for it. Yuuri feels his face heat up and walks over to Viktor to avoid looking at his mother's knowing smile any longer.

"This way, Viktor," Yuuri says, taking Viktor's hand without thinking. Hiroko puts her hand to her cheek, beaming. Yuuri hurries Viktor away before she can say anything else, heading into the bathing area of the inn. He hesitates at the door, looking back at Viktor, realizing that if they bathe together, they will be nude together. The thought of it sends a shiver of desire through him, and Viktor must sense it, his eyes widening slightly.

"There's a spring near the back that is for our eyes only," Yuuri says quietly, biting his bottom lip. "Do you know how Japanese baths work?"

"We wash, and then we soak naked," Viktor replies, tilting his head curiously. "When you say for our eyes only..."

"Human eyes can't see it," Yuuri murmurs in reply. Viktor takes that in, his fingers twitching in Yuuri's hand, and for the first time in days, Yuuri notices a tendril of desire from Viktor. It makes his face warm again, his heart beating faster in apprehension.

Viktor senses that, too. "Hey," he murmurs, catching Yuuri's hands and drawing him out of sight of the rest of the hallway, squeezing his hand gently. "I'm not going to ask for anything, Yuuri. We'll just have a bath. We can wear shorts, if you want..." Yuuri's expression shows his absolute horror at wearing shorts into the _onsen_ , so Viktor quickly revises his words. "Okay, okay, no shorts," Viktor laughs, his expression fond. "Today has been exhausting, and I just want to hold you. There's no rush to do anything else, darling."

"Okay," Yuuri whispers, catching what Viktor calls him with a hot flush. "Come on." He hurries away from Viktor before he can do something foolish, like kiss him in the hallway in his parents' inn, where his mother could turn the corner any second. Viktor follows with a smile.

For Yuuri, nudity is a fact of life, having lived in the _mara_ halls. He has never been nude in front of Viktor, though. They share a bathroom, and he has often seen Viktor half-dressed, sometimes only in his underwear while changing in the locker room, but they always bathe separately. Viktor has never pushed, and Yuuri has never felt comfortable enough to share that part of himself. 

He feels nothing but nervous as he strips his clothes off, knowing that behind him, Viktor is doing the same thing. It might be a human glamour, but it is still _Viktor_ , someone precious, and someone that Yuuri has wanted for months.

At least his heat is over. Yuuri probably would have jumped Viktor by now, had this happened three days ago.

With a small grumble, Yuuri ties a towel around his waist and turns around. Viktor doesn’t have any clothes on at all. Yuuri holds in the noise that tries to escape him, his gaze dropping without his permission, before he looks away, the remnants of his heat stirring quickly. One person should not be this attractive, even disguised as a human. Quickly, Yuuri pushes a bucket with shampoo and soap into Viktor's arms and hurries into the bath area, where a few older men are relaxing in the _ofuro_. Yuuri nods politely to them and sits at one of the faucets, peering over his shoulder when Viktor sits beside him. For a moment, Yuuri can only stare at Viktor's spine, his gaze trailing down, until he hears a throat clear and hurriedly looks forward.

"I saw that," Viktor murmurs, amused.

"Shut up," Yuuri hisses back. He then decides to ignore Viktor completely and starts washing his body off. Viktor chuckles and copies him, and for a time, the only sounds in the room are soft splashes and running water. At last Yuuri is clean, and he stands, keeping his eyes off Viktor as he walks over to the doors that lead to the _onsen_ proper. After a moment, Viktor follows, and silently, Yuuri steps toward a hidden path off to the side of the yard, leading Viktor away from the rest of the inn and springs, to the secret spring at the back of the property.

When Yuuri walks into the hidden spring, several little lanterns around the yard light up, bathing the area with warm light. Yuuri swallows, then drops his towel to the side, and his glamour with it, his wings unfurling from his back and his horns curling up from his temples. Nervously, he pushes his hair back, pressing his fingers to the tips of his horns, before he buries his cowardice and turns around.

Viktor stands waiting, but the sight of him takes Yuuri's breath away. He is nude -- and he is human no longer. His hair is long now, reaching to his waist and falling over his skin in a silken wave. He has horns as Yuuri does, though they are white and much longer, arching delicately back and tapering into sharp points, a faint silver sheen to them. Viktor's ears are long and pointed, and his eyes glow with his innate magic. Though he does not have wings as Yuuri does, everything about him carries a dangerous strength, making Yuuri go weak in the knees.

Viktor's gaze sweeps down, causing heat to blossom in Yuuri, rising quickly to his cheeks; but then Viktor's gaze snaps back up and fixes on Yuuri's throat. His eyes widen with shock. "Yuuri, what is that?"

Yuuri reaches up to his throat without thinking, wondering if something of the spell has lingered, but only finds his collar. He blinks at Viktor, confused, the swell of heat in the pit of his stomach fading a little at Viktor's visible horror. "This? Um... it's the contract I have with Lilia- _neesan_."

Viktor meets his gaze, startled. "Contract?"

"Mm, yes. My _mara_ contract."

Viktor takes a few steps forward, reaching up to touch the collar, his thumb pressing against the red gem, swallowing. "Have you had this the whole time I've known you? While I put that spell on you?"

"Yes... all _mara_ have them. The ones that work with the clans, anyway," Yuuri explains, puzzled. "Why? Viktor, what's wrong?"

Viktor drops his hand as if burned, pushing his long hair back out of his face. "I've already apologized, but I must say it again. I'm sorry, Yuuri. Contract spells and binding spells, when cast together, could have disastrous results. I... I can't believe I cast that on you, while you had this... it could have hurt you. If you had disobeyed Lilia, or broken your promise to me, or..."

Viktor is rambling, Yuuri realizes, and he presses a finger to Viktor's mouth, gently hushing him. "Viktor, it's okay. I'm okay. It's a simple contract. I collect energy, and a portion of it goes to the clan coffers. In exchange, they protect me and house me." He reaches up to nudge the collar open, setting it aside with his clothes. He doesn't want Viktor to look at it any longer. "It just measures my energy and monitors my health."

"It's a collar," Viktor retorts, his gaze dropping again to the piece of jewelry. His disgust is palpable, and despite knowing now that Viktor has suffered similarly, Yuuri cannot help the shame that rushes through him. "Like slavery."

Yuuri bites back his response, his own discomfort rising. He has always felt bitter toward the contract, but having Viktor point it out like that _hurts._ "I agreed to it," he protests weakly, but Viktor shakes his head, dismissing the excuse. 

"Like you agreed to my binding spell, which I coerced you into taking."

Yuuri reels back, staring at him. "What? No, you didn't." Viktor's frown forces him to think about it, and Yuuri hesitantly admits that, yes, perhaps Viktor did coerce him. He shakes his head. "I chose the shape," Yuuri tries again. "I didn't want an earring or a bracelet. This was the shape that's easiest for me."

He doesn't understand why he is protesting Viktor's concern. How many times has Yuuri pulled off his collar in hatred? How many times has he regretted his choice to join the clans and take assignations? Tears sting at his eyes, and Yuuri looks away, struggling for the words to convince Viktor that this is okay, that he has lived for years with this piece of metal holding him captive, and that he is fine with it.

He thinks of how he was when he first saw Viktor in that restaurant. Poor, starving, desperate.

He has never been fine with it. He doesn't want to tell Viktor that, though.

He is shocked out of his thoughts when Viktor takes his shoulders in hand, forcing Yuuri's eyes up. "Yuuri," he says firmly, making Yuuri falter, unsure. Viktor smiles, gentling his touch, his fingers sliding up to cup Yuuri's face. "You don't have to defend it to me."

Yuuri says nothing, and Viktor draws him into his arms, letting Yuuri hide his face in his shoulder. This close, he can smell Viktor much more strongly than in his human form, and the scent calms him, slowly easing the panic in his throat. They are pressed together lightly, enough that Yuuri can feel Viktor's body, but he feels no sexual desire right now -- he just feels shame, alongside relief that Viktor _understands._ Yuuri lets out a noise, a protest or a plea, he doesn't know, but he is helpless to stop the tears in his eyes. Viktor tightens his arms around him, pressing a kiss to his hair, just beneath his horn.

"Let's rest for a while, okay? You've had a long day." After a moment, Yuuri nods, wanting to give control over to Viktor for now. He is too tired.

Viktor is gentle as he helps Yuuri into the steaming water, settling Yuuri against his side as they sit down, slowly rubbing his back. Yuuri stays curled up against him until the hot, fragile pain in his throat and eyes has faded, his shoulders no longer trembling with suppressed tears. He shifts to sit more comfortably against Viktor, drained from a long day of skating and anxiety, and relieved that Viktor is here after aching for him for days.

"I missed you," Yuuri whispers, resting his cheek against Viktor's shoulder. He shifts a bit, feeling Viktor's wet hair beneath his skin, bemused that Viktor has long hair in his natural form. Viktor hums softly, his fingers sliding over the sinew that connects Yuuri's wings to his back. Yuuri shivers a little at the intimate touch, wondering if anyone has ever touched him there before. Usually other _mara_ don't bother.

"Did you have a good heat?" Viktor asks, warm against his ear, and Yuuri can't find it in him to feel embarrassed at the question.

"I missed you for it," he says again, softer now, and hears Viktor's small inhalation. Slowly Yuuri draws himself up, shifting to face Viktor, cupping Viktor's face in his palm. Viktor leans into his touch with a smile, a small flush rising in his cheeks as he looks at Yuuri with a loving expression, and Yuuri smiles a little to see it. No one has ever looked at him like Viktor looks at him every day. "I've never wanted anybody like I want you."

Viktor stares at him, struck speechless for once, and Yuuri's smile widens, warmth returning to his cheeks to have that regard. "Yuuri," Viktor sighs, leaning in to brush their lips together, soft and warm and yearning. "You have me. All of me, any way you want me. Forever, if you want it," he says, hushed and sweet, and Yuuri inhales, his chest aching fiercely for a moment. He curls into Viktor's arms, his wings wrapping around them, as if to protect them from the rest of the world.

"I don't want to do assignations anymore," Yuuri admits to him, his gaze lowered, the guilt of his secret hope sliding off his shoulders like drops of water. His heart feels lighter with the confession. "I just want to be with you. Even," he falters, his voice catching on the word, "even if you have to mate, and create an heir, I don't care, I'll stay with you, if you just ask me to. I don't care who they are as long as I can be with you --"

"Yuuri," Viktor murmurs, kissing him to soothe his worries. "Who else would I want to mate, but you?"

Something in him breaks apart at those words, and Viktor catches him in his arms, pulling him tight against his chest and holding him. He doesn't let go, not when Yuuri shakes against him, overwhelmed by the raw emotions between them, all their barriers gone.

Yuuri catches himself on a laugh after a while, miserable and soft, but Viktor hears it anyway. "I finally have you naked and in my arms, and all I can do is cry. I'm the worst incubus ever."

Viktor nuzzles his hair, the affection in him wrapping around the fragile parts of Yuuri. "You've always had me. You'll have me tomorrow, and any day after that, if you only ask. What we have is more than your nature or my desire."

Yuuri lifts his head a bit, meeting Viktor's eyes, calm settling into his skin. How did he get to be so lucky? "Do you mean that? You don't mind waiting?"

With only a few words, Viktor fills his heart with hope. "I'll wait forever for you, Yuuri."

When the heat from the spring becomes too much, they rise together. Yuuri offers Viktor a towel, and for a few moments, he watches Viktor dry himself off, the soft lights highlighting his toned form. It is then that Yuuri catches sight of the faintest of designs on his skin, even paler than Viktor himself. Silently, Yuuri reaches out to touch Viktor's back, tracing one of the lines, thinking it looks like a crack in the ice.

"My magic spills out sometimes," Viktor says softly. "It leaves marks like this. Lines of power, my uncle would say. Scarring me, I always thought."

Yuuri lets out a soft noise, considering. Beneath his fingers runs Viktor's old bitterness at losing his beauty to the magic his family forced him to nurture, and nervousness -- that Viktor does not show this part of himself to anyone but rarely, and he is afraid that Yuuri would judge him for it.

Yuuri leans in to press his lips to the curve of Viktor's shoulder blade, wrapping his arms around Viktor's waist. He doesn't need to say the words, and slowly, the tension drains out of Viktor, the old hurt soothed. After a moment, Yuuri lets him go to gather their clothes, glancing back at Viktor, waiting for him.

He is relieved that he can stand here like this with Viktor and not worry about sex, that their relationship is more than simply lust. He tucks away the image of Viktor smiling at him, naked and waiting, for a time when he can enjoy it. For now, Yuuri simply admires.

A mischievous look crosses Viktor's face, which is the only warning Yuuri gets before Viktor surprises Yuuri by sweeping him up into his arms. Laughing when Yuuri flails, Viktor doesn't bother with glamours, instead spelling them invisible to humans and carrying Yuuri back into the house. Exasperated and flushed, Yuuri directs him upstairs before his family can spot them, and they stop at a closet to fish out a _jinbei_ for Viktor and some shorts for Yuuri. After dressing, Yuuri settles at the table in the family room, leaning into Viktor when he sits down beside him. He should feel embarrassed for making Viktor carry him like a child, but another part of him enjoyed it, to feel Viktor's strength in such a way. 

Viktor turns his face into Yuuri's neck, scenting him with a soft sigh. "You smell lovely like this," Viktor murmurs, and Yuuri laughs as Viktor's long hair tickles his skin. He cannot stop touching it, enjoying the length of it, fascinated by how it shines in the light. Viktor chuckles and lets Yuuri play with his hair as he wishes. He can't seem to stop touching Yuuri's wings, sending little shivers through him every few minutes, so Yuuri figures it is a fair trade.

Mari brings them two _katsudon_ specials and a tall bottle of beer for Viktor, raising her eyebrows at Viktor and giving Yuuri a surreptitious thumbs up. Yuuri frowns at her half-heartedly but happily digs in to his favorite dish after Mari leaves.

"There are a lot of calories in this," Viktor says, raising his eyebrows, and Yuuri fixes him with a look. There is no way Viktor is imposing his strict diet on Yuuri _now_.

"I didn't eat for three days. Try and stop me." Then he takes a big bite of rice, pork, and egg, and Viktor starts laughing when Yuuri's cheeks puff out. 

"Okay, no diet tonight," Viktor snickers, raising his eyebrows, worry touching his mien. "Three days, really? I thought they had snacks in the heat halls."

Yuuri's cheeks flush as he chews. "Hard to remember to eat," is all he says in reply, and whatever Viktor takes from that leaves a delicate blush on his cheeks. Yuuri admires him for a moment, smiling at the thought that this demon is _his_.

He reaches for his water. Viktor swipes it before Yuuri can touch it, and Yuuri lets out a noise of protest, only to fall silent when Viktor touches glowing fingers to the glass, the glow infusing the water and leaving the glass fogged from the sudden change in temperature. Yuuri's throat goes dry, and Viktor sets the glass in front of him, almost nervously.

Yuuri doesn't wait, taking a long drink of Viktor's energy, almost moaning in relief. Even sated from his heat, nothing compares to Viktor's energy. He meets Viktor's gaze over the glass, briefly thinking of how much better Viktor's sexual energy would taste, before putting the thought away. Later. When neither of them are so tired, when they are not overwhelmed by the outside world.

After their bowls are empty and Viktor has finished his beer, he draws Yuuri to his side again, and Yuuri goes to him gladly. He needs to go thank his parents, but really, all he wants to do is go back to Russia and curl up on the couch with Viktor and Makkachin. Viktor rests his cheek against Yuuri's hair, their hands entwined between them, and through the gentle touch, Yuuri can feel Viktor's exhaustion, matched to his own.

"What are we going to do now?" Yuuri asks softly. Viktor's family, Lilia and Chris, his own contract, his energy needs... not to mention training. The idea of dealing with all of it terrifies him a little.

Viktor draws his thumb across Yuuri's knuckles, his gaze on the far wall, turning over their situation. Even tired like this, he is thinking of new angles, new possibilities, and Yuuri loves him a little for it. "We're going to practice," Viktor says finally, and the sound that Yuuri makes is nothing short of embarrassing. Viktor snorts. "No whining. You haven't practiced in almost a week, Yuuri, and as your coach, I must insist on routine." Amusement returns to Viktor's voice, and he turns his head a little to kiss the tip of Yuuri's ear. Yuuri can feel his smile. "Your meeting with Lilia isn't for a couple weeks or so, right?"

"Or so," Yuuri agrees quietly, glancing up at him. Viktor smiles at him.

"Then we'll worry about it then. Whatever my family is planning, we'll deal with it later. Until then, let's just take each day as it comes and stick to what we know. That way, we will be prepared for whatever they plan to throw at us. How does that sound?"

Yuuri leans up to kiss him in reply. Viktor blinks a few times as Yuuri pulls away, and Yuuri does a poor job of hiding his pleasure at catching Viktor off guard. He could get used to leaving Viktor speechless like this, after months of suffering from Viktor's flirting. "Okay. Can we go home now?"

Viktor nods slowly, his gaze fixing briefly on Yuuri's lips, before he smiles. "Yes. Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies! I am SO SORRY for the wait for this chapter. Thank you for your endless patience and support and kind messages. Thank you also to everyone who helped with the prompt-a-thon on [tumblr](http://amberstarfight.tumblr.com)! All of those prompts can be read in [Down the Wandering Path](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10176611/chapters/22602551).
> 
> We have MORE ART. Seriously, how are you all so amazing??? Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who draws art for this story! You are FABULOUS AND AWESOME. So much gorgeous art!!! Thank you! Please go and pay worship to all of these amazing artists!
> 
>   * [Nude incubus!Yuuri](https://karakvs.tumblr.com/post/156089746215/full-nsfwwhatisanatomy-version-under-the-cut-so) by @karakvs! (NSFW)
>   * [Viktor in all his demon glory](https://karakvs.tumblr.com/post/156125471275/ice-ice-baby-sooooo-i-said-under-my-incubusyuri) by @karakvs!
>   * [Sleepy incubus!Yuuri from Chapter 5](http://shitsumon-abound.tumblr.com/post/156167235817/amberstarfight-so-yeah-i-like-sinfully-pure) by @shitsumon-abound! (semi-NSFW) 
>   * [Stretching incubus!Yuuri from Chapter 5](http://toriimoe-art.tumblr.com/post/156389029694/based-off-a-scene-from-chapter-5-of) by @toriimoe-art! (semi-NSFW) 
>   * [A cover for Melting Ice with incubus!Yuuri and demon!Viktor](http://kateryna.co.vu/post/156663697110/haha-uhm-im-in-love-with-amberstarfights-fic-so) by @hana-tox!
>   * [Sleepy, stretchy incubus!Yuuri from Chapter 5](http://waitkc.tumblr.com/post/157846037794/just-read-the-entirety-of-when-the-ice-melts-in) by @waitkc! (semi-NSFW) 
>   * [Yuuri drinking Viktor's energy](http://shitsumon-abound.tumblr.com/post/158190571667/yuuri-takes-the-drink-grateful-and-when-he-opens) by @shitsumon-abound!
> 

> 
> If you'd like something to fill the time between chapters, you can check out my other AU, [The Crow Upon the Sea](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8690167/chapters/19922677)!
> 
> Let me know what you think (*´♡`*)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*´♡`*) Beta'ed by the amazing @moonbelowsea!
> 
>  **Warning** : This chapter contains a scene with explicit sexual content.

Returning home suits Yuuri very well. He settles into training again with relief, letting the quick pace of practice dictate his life easily. It's nice to let go on the ice, to spend two weeks focusing only on his skating, but still, something feels different.

Something has changed between him and Viktor, in the soft looks they give each other, in the kisses they exchange easily, in the casual touches that ease the ache within Yuuri. Their relationship has developed into something natural, something that Yuuri can accept easily without worrying. Viktor is hiding nothing from him anymore, and no longer does the silencing spell hold his tongue captive. Until Viktor had taken it off him, Yuuri had not realized how heavy it had weighed on his conscious.

His desires, too, have changed; and Yuuri is not afraid of them any longer. Still a little wary, still a little hesitant -- but no longer is he afraid of his own nature. Over the next two weeks he spends with Viktor, Yuuri begins to release his allure until it rests at the same comfort level as in his dormitory back in the Underworld, and it feels so much better to be able to relax his natural senses.

Viktor responds to it very well. Yuuri had feared that his allure would overwhelm Viktor, or that it would push Viktor into behaving in a way that meant he couldn't consent properly, but thankfully Viktor's self-control is far greater than Yuuri's worries. Sometimes Yuuri can smell his desire, can feel it when Viktor wraps his arms around him, but never does Viktor's desire change into uncontrollable lust, as would be the case with a human. Instead, Viktor takes to scenting him often, happily giving into the urge to touch Yuuri as often as possible, letting the desire linger in the background without pushing either of them into anything further.

It feels... right.

Yuuri loves him for it. He loves that he can be himself, truly himself, around Viktor, and that Viktor is no longer holding back from him. It still makes him blush when Viktor drags him into his arms and scents him, or when Viktor's lips brush his neck, but Yuuri manages to make Viktor blush as much by doing the same things to him.

He _loves_ seeing Viktor blush.

The morning that Yuuri intends to face Lilia and Chris, he wakes early, groggy from a half-night of tossing and turning. Dawn hasn't even arrived when Yuuri opens his eyes, and he glares at the darkened world outside from beneath his mess of pillows and blankets, hating that his anxiety has reduced his sleep to this level. With a grumbled curse, Yuuri drags himself out of bed and slumps out to the living room, taking over the couch with his favorite blanket and Viktor's pillow, stolen from Viktor's bed long ago.

Viktor is still asleep in his own room, but the living room is _their_ space and is saturated with Viktor's scent. Yuuri happily wraps himself in the blue blanket Viktor gave him months ago and lets his glamour fall away, not caring to pretend to be human in his and Viktor's home.

Living in the dormitories was one way of life that Yuuri had long gotten used to, so it had been a radical change when he moved to the Overworld to live with Viktor. It had been Viktor's space for a long time, despite Viktor making it very clear that he would share every inch of it with Yuuri. Slowly, though, Yuuri settled into the apartment, transforming it from a shared space into a home. His belongings are all over the place. His scent is infused with Viktor's in every corner.

Yuuri wonders if they will go back to the Underworld someday, and where they might live. The Iriy realm is shut off from outsiders much of the year, but if Yuuri mates with Viktor and ends up marrying into his family, then he would be welcomed there. He could live there, with Viktor.

At least, he hopes so.

Perhaps they could have a home together in the city, in the time before Viktor takes over as clan leader. Somewhere near Phichit and Chris and all the lovely restaurants and shops. Viktor loves to go shopping, and Yuuri loves going out to eat, so that might be nice.

Yuuri blushes a little, thinking of how he could finally share a room with Viktor. A bed for the two of them...

He dozes in the world of heated daydreams for a while, until a door opens and he hears the _taptaptap_ of a dog's claws rushing toward him, seconds before Makkachin's cold nose bumps his cheek. Yuuri smiles, reaching out without looking to pull Makkachin closer, squirming when she licks him. "Morning, Makkachin," he mumbles, and a moment later he feels a hand in his hair.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. I'll be back in a little while," Viktor murmurs, petting the messy strands back briefly, before taking Makkachin outside. Yuuri opens his eyes to watch the door after it closes, reminded of the upcoming meeting. He will have to get up soon, eat breakfast, and dress -- and then somehow convince Lilia that he should quit his contract and enter a courtship with Viktor. He has no idea what she will say, especially not after what he overheard weeks ago.

For a while, Yuuri tries not to think about it -- and fails spectacularly. He does his best not to work himself into a state, not wanting Viktor to have to spend the entire morning reshaping him into a proper demon again if he falls apart. He manages, but barely.

Yuuri doesn't want to go to the meeting. He _hates_ confrontation, and he doesn't know what Lilia will say. In a way he knows he will forgive her, because he knows the truth now; however, he knows it will hurt to leave her and the rest of the _mara_. He is scared of the future, despite knowing that Viktor wants him and will always be there for him. Can Yuuri even survive on his own? If he is with Viktor, surely it will be alright, but... he hasn't had proper sexual energy in such a long time. He hasn't enjoyed sex for so, so long.

Can he even satisfy Viktor? Can Viktor satisfy _him_? He dreamed of being with Viktor for so long, but his sexual past... He has never been comfortable with sex, nor has he experienced such intense attraction like this before. He knows what he wants, but...

Can Yuuri be with Viktor without failing his own nature?

When Viktor returns, Makkachin happily disappearing into the kitchen to find her food bowls, Yuuri is on the edge of miserable. Viktor senses it immediately, crossing the room to sit beside Yuuri, gently gathering him into his arms.

It's everything Yuuri wants, and just what he didn't want. He wants to be stronger than this.

"You're up early," Viktor says quietly, leaning down to press a kiss between Yuuri's horns. "Bad night?"

Yuuri melts into his touch, pulling his face away from his stolen pillow and looking up at Viktor. The pale light of dawn brightens Viktor's eyes to something ethereal, and without thinking Yuuri reaches up to cup Viktor's face, drawing a thumb over his bottom lip. Viktor blinks at him, his mouth falling open a little in surprise, and Yuuri sighs, tempted.

His lack of sleep rankles him. He should have slept with Viktor last night instead -- then they could have woken up together, with leisure and without any stress. Yuuri hasn't let himself stay the night with Viktor yet, but he has thought about it -- _oh,_ has he thought about it. 

He could have spent the morning kissing Viktor instead of letting his anxiety haunt him.

He still could.

With a small huff, Yuuri gives into his own desire, sitting up and pulling Viktor down for a kiss. He doesn't hold back, either, taking advantage of Viktor's surprise to drag his mouth open with his lingering thumb, kissing him thoroughly, until they are both breathless.

Viktor responds to him with a gasp, trying to say Yuuri's name, to ask what he is doing -- Yuuri can feel his worry, but he doesn't give Viktor the chance to speak. Instead he distracts Viktor with his tongue, using his momentum to push Viktor back into the couch, straddling his legs without thinking. Their kisses have grown heated like this before, but one of them has always stopped it from progressing, never quite ready for anything more.

Yuuri is ready, now.

"Yuuri," Viktor moans, and Yuuri shivers. He can feel it now, the desire brimming at the edge of Viktor's control. He can _taste_ it, and the energy is so much more amazing than any glass of water Viktor has given him before. Yuuri wants to drink it all down.

Maybe he is wrong, and they shouldn't be doing this. Hesitantly, Yuuri pulls away, opening his eyes to watch Viktor. If Viktor doesn't want this, then he will stop now.

Viktor meets his eyes and smiles, a beautiful blush lighting up his cheeks. "That was amazing."

Yuuri bites his bottom lip, then shivers when he notices Viktor's eyes following the motion. "I just want to make sure it's alright with you. Whatever happens."

"It's more than alright," Viktor breathes, his eyes wide, filled with adoration that Yuuri can feel in his heart. He aches to see it.

Viktor's hands land on Yuuri's hips, pulling him closer. Through the touch, Yuuri can feel Viktor's love, as well as his hesitancy, his worry, and he wants to soothe it all away, to assure Viktor that it's okay. Viktor's smile widens, his eyes softening, and it is then that Yuuri knows -- it _is_ okay. Gently, as if holding something fragile and delicate, Yuuri tilts Viktor's head up and kisses him again.

They communicate only through touch, the feelings dancing in the air despite never saying a word to each other. Yuuri wants Viktor to let go -- Viktor doesn't want to hurt him -- Yuuri won't get hurt, he trusts Viktor -- Viktor wonders if they should wait -- Yuuri is tired, so tired of avoiding this, of ignoring his and Viktor's urges out of fear, he doesn't want to wait any longer, Viktor is _his_ , he is _Viktor's,_ he wants to give Viktor so, so much, to fulfill his every desire, to make him _happy_. He wants to let Viktor make _him_ happy.

Viktor's hands clench on his hips, and now it is Yuuri's turn to gasp, as Viktor's lust floods his senses. The kiss turns from gentle to hot and heavy in an instant, and no longer is it a slow dance between lovers, but now erotic and desirous. Yuuri is briefly reminded of his ice skating routines, particularly the one that Viktor designed to be _incredibly sexy, Yuuri! Very eros!_ \-- and he can't help but laugh in relief, finally understanding.

Being with Viktor like this feels natural and _right_. It's everything Yuuri hoped for, and yet he has never felt like this before, trembling in his own desire for Viktor. One word from Viktor could spin his whole world on its axis.

Viktor senses his amazement and pulls away, his eyes fixing on Yuuri's face. Yuuri flushes a little under the attention, then sits up and purposefully rubs against the hardness that has been pressing into his hip for some time now. Viktor stiffens, a shudder running through him, and Yuuri is delighted to see it.

"Yuuri, are you sure?" Viktor asks, his voice somewhat hoarse. Yuuri has kissed him very thoroughly, and he is absurdly pleased by that thought, that _he_ made Viktor this way.

For a moment, Yuuri lets himself look at Viktor, at the arousal flushing his face and his straining erection, the faint trembling in his hands, the way his eyes have dilated to the point of being black with desire. The sight sends a shiver through Yuuri, and he has to bite his lip over his own lust as it flares and makes Viktor inhale tightly.

Yuuri could give in right now... but no, they need to be certain about this.

Yuuri meets Viktor's gaze again, smiling softly. "I am, Viktor. Are you? We can wait, if you want. If we do anything, the energy will be taken by my contract." He reaches up to touch the faintly glowing gem at his throat, knowing that it matches his bright red eyes.

"Mm, that's true." Viktor follows the motion with his eyes, swallowing, and the sight of his lust makes Yuuri dizzy with the power of it. He loves seeing Viktor coming undone, just because of him.

Then Viktor grins, and Yuuri blinks at him. "Why not? We can give them this one freebie before I steal you away from them. If anything, it will help our argument." He winks, and Yuuri can feel how smug Viktor is, at the very thought of teasing the _mara_ like this.

Yuuri stares at him, then starts laughing, imagining the look on Lilia and Chris' faces if he walks in after having sex with Viktor. His clothes rumpled and drenched in Viktor's scent... he finds the image very appealing. The thought catches him by surprise, and Yuuri realizes that it feels natural to think about sex with Viktor so easily. His face lights up with a blush, more embarrassed by his own lack of modesty than by the idea of sex.

When Yuuri had imagined this for the first time, he had thought he would be a stuttering, blushing mess.

"Have faith in yourself, Yuuri," Viktor murmurs, smiling at him before drawing Yuuri back into a kiss.

 _I have faith in you,_ Yuuri thinks, and it's enough for him when Viktor arches up into him, love smothering his every thought. He takes a moment to delve his tongue into Viktor's mouth, drinking in his taste with a sigh, as Viktor's hands slide restlessly up and down his back. Yuuri grins a little when one of Viktor's hands carefully, hesitantly rests on his backside, and he presses back into the flat of Viktor's palm, before gently breaking the kiss and dipping his head.

The first touch of his lips against Viktor's neck makes them both moan. Viktor never hesitates to scent Yuuri, but Yuuri rarely scents him in return, content to let Viktor's scent envelop him through their clothes, blankets, and the apartment itself. This, though -- Yuuri could stay here all day, his nose pressed to Viktor's scent glands, and be perfectly happy.

He has other intentions, though. With that thought, Yuuri wastes no time in biting Viktor's pale skin, enjoying how the resulting flush blossoms into a mark -- _his mark_. Viktor gasps, his hand fisting the back of Yuuri's shirt, as if to pull him back, but Yuuri distracts him by rolling his hips into Viktor's lap, his heart singing when Viktor moans his name.

Every odd skill Yuuri learned growing up, every uncomfortable sexual moment he suffered with strangers and humans is _worth it_ to hear Viktor like this, to know that _Yuuri_ is the one pleasuring him. Every single thought of _why was I born like this_ no longer matters -- because his whole being matters to Viktor.

Yuuri presses a gentle kiss to the mark he left, then slides off Viktor's lap, kneeling on the floor in front of him and looking up to watch his expression. Viktor blinks a few times, then focuses on him, his glowing eyes widening to see where Yuuri is. Yuuri smiles, a little embarrassed by his own eagerness, and reaches up to the ties to Viktor's sweatpants, his fingers brushing the outline of his erection. Viktor inhales, his hands clenching at his sides as he throbs beneath Yuuri's touch.

"Can I?" Yuuri asks, hushed in the quiet of the apartment. Viktor nods, the blush on his face spreading to his neck, sending a shiver through Yuuri. He still doesn't understand it sometimes, that Viktor wants him in this way -- but the way Viktor looks at him now makes him believe it.

"You -- ah," Viktor stutters, as if his tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth, and Yuuri's smile brightens, happy that _he_ brought the normally cool, composed Viktor to such a state. "You don't want to try something else?"

Yuuri blushes, glancing guiltily at his bedroom door. "I, ah, may have... imagined this. A lot. I have a toy, it's blue and... well anyway," he rushes through the words when Viktor's eyes widen and follow his gaze to Yuuri's bedroom. Viktor doesn't need to know how much he masturbated with his toys, these past months. (Or maybe Yuuri will tell him. Later, when Viktor least expects it.)

"You have a to--oh!" Viktor gasps, as Yuuri tugs down his sweatpants and wraps his fingers around Viktor's leaking cock. He has seen it before, of course, but never like this, long and thick and erect for him. He slides his fingers down to the base, the velvety skin hot beneath his touch, and Yuuri groans as Viktor does, the sexual energy in the room spiking. The scent of it is making Yuuri's mouth water -- which has never happened before. He has never _wanted_ to do this for anyone before.

Absently, Yuuri folds his wings behind him, peeking up at Viktor once more and blushing at the dazed look on his face, before leaning down and wrapping his lips around the head of Viktor's cock. Viktor's hands immediately land on him, one in his hair, the other gripping his shirt tightly, but Yuuri ignores it, knowing Viktor would never hurt him.

Yuuri takes his time to explore Viktor with his lips and hands. He takes careful note of what makes Viktor moan (sucking on the head of his cock), what makes him gasp and quiver with need (dragging his tongue from tip to base), and all the while Viktor's energy flows into him in a way he has never felt before, lust teeming beneath his skin. He has _never_ felt sexual energy like this before, so pure and natural, and all too easily, Yuuri could become addicted to it, to Viktor desiring him.

He has never felt so energized, so _powerful_ \-- but it hardly matters to him. All that matters is the taste of Viktor on his tongue, the thickness of his cock stretching his lips, the way Viktor keeps running his fingers through Yuuri's hair and moaning his name, pleading for him. Vaguely Yuuri wonders when Viktor last had an orgasm, because he hasn't scented _that_ on Viktor at all since they met -- and despite the many rumors around the human Viktor Nikiforov, he knows that Viktor rarely indulged in lovers in the past.

No matter. Yuuri will make Viktor forget every lover he has ever had.

As Viktor's trembling becomes more pronounced, Yuuri gives up on teasing him and focuses on pleasuring him with his tongue and lips, not pushing him too hard -- he wants Viktor to feel this hours later, when they are sitting in front of Chris and Lilia and have to explain their decisions. He wants Viktor to remember this moment for days, weeks, forever -- until the next time Yuuri gives him everything, and the next time after that, and after that, until the end of time.

It thrills Yuuri a little, that realization -- that they will belong to each other forever.

Viktor's grip on his hair tightens suddenly, giving a choked gasp, mangling Yuuri's name as he struggles to speak. Yuuri hears his meaning anyway -- _Yuuri, I'm coming_ \-- and swallows him down, just as Viktor begins to spill down his throat. He looks up and doesn't look away -- he needs to see Viktor come.

Viktor's face as he orgasms is a study in beauty, the glow of the morning lighting up his rapturous features. Viktor is staring at him, mouthing Yuuri's name helplessly, the corners of his eyes shining -- but Yuuri can see the love and happiness in his expression, the relief that _this is okay_ \-- the same as Yuuri feels.

He nearly comes just watching Viktor.

"Yuuri!" Viktor sobs his name, his hips trembling as his orgasm rushes through him. Yuuri moans around him, dragging his lips back up Viktor's length until the head of his cock sits on his tongue, the last of his seed seeping into his mouth. Viktor looks debauched, _wrecked_ , all because of him, and Yuuri shudders to see it. Finally, he lets Viktor slide out of his mouth, swallowing his taste with relish, his eyes glowing as he drinks in the energy of Viktor's release.

He cannot believe how good Viktor tastes. To have this for the rest of his life...

Yuuri has barely tucked Viktor back into his sweatpants when Viktor hauls him upwards, all too easily landing Yuuri flat on his back on the couch with Viktor leaning over him. Yuuri blushes at the intense expression on Viktor's face, about to stutter an apology for being so forward, when Viktor kisses him, licking the slick of his seed from Yuuri's mouth with a groan.

 _You are perfect,_ Viktor doesn't say, his love and admiration singing through every heated inch where their bodies are pressed together. Yuuri shudders as Viktor's tongue slides against his, lifting his eyes when Viktor pulls away and looks down at him, his eyes taking in Yuuri's flushed, aroused body, as Yuuri did to him earlier.

"Would that I could do everything to you right now, but we really don't have time, do we?" Viktor sighs, looking put out, and it startles a laugh out of Yuuri.

"Viktor, we have all the time in the world. Though I feel the same," he admits, his gaze fixing on the mark he left on Viktor's neck. He wants to create more of them. He wants to drive Viktor _senseless_. He wants to gift Viktor with every single sexual skill he has ever learned, because now Yuuri feels that he can make them actually worthwhile.

Viktor grins a little, his blush deepening when he notices where Yuuri's attention is. Shockingly, his lust flares a little, though Yuuri can plainly feel that Viktor is completely spent. "Later... yes. For now, what would you like? Anything you want, Yuuri."

Oh, but Viktor has given him too much power, in only a few words. Yuuri bites down on his lip, his teeth scraping the tender flesh. Viktor's eyes are glowing, bright with interest, and Yuuri shivers a little, imagining all the different things he could do with Viktor. He has so many unfulfilled fantasies, so many things he wants to show Viktor, things he has never enjoyed before -- but now even thinking of them makes him tremble from the force of his lust. 

Hell, Yuuri could even reach orgasm just listening to Viktor's voice. He wonders what fantasies Viktor has -- and then, the idea of Viktor _telling him_ leaves Yuuri moaning and rutting against Viktor's leg, making those blue eyes widen.

"Wow," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri jolts and looks away, embarrassed. Too quickly, Viktor cups his face and turns him back, leaning down to kiss his lips several times. "No, no, darling, don't feel ashamed of this. This is natural, how you react to me, how we react to each other. I've never felt like this, with anyone, but I know... with you, Yuuri, this is right. How you feel, it is _right_. Please don't be embarrassed."

Each word lays a balm over Yuuri's quivering heart. He feels tears prickle at the corner of his eyes, making Viktor stiffen, and before Viktor can panic about making him cry, Yuuri wraps his arms around Viktor's neck and pulls him close, kissing him deeply.

"I could come just listening to you talk," Yuuri admits in a whisper, after Viktor has relaxed. Viktor inhales softly, and Yuuri arches up against him, undulating his body slowly against Viktor's leg, gasping as his erection rubs against Viktor's hip.

"What, just my voice?" Viktor wonders, and then he realizes what Yuuri means. He grins and leans over to kiss Yuuri's ear, his voice dropping into a deeper tone, sending a shiver straight down Yuuri's spine and to his cock. "Like this? Should I tell you how beautiful you look, Yuuri? How much it excited me to see you on your knees before me, my seed on your lips? The things I wanted to do to you, Yuuri... the things I wanted you to do to _me_."

Yuuri shudders and gasps, imagining it, hearing the words Viktor doesn't say. He can sense the fantasies Viktor has carefully hidden over the past several months, of having Yuuri at his mercy, of being at Yuuri's mercy -- and Yuuri _craves it_ , knowing Viktor can hear his every thought. He has given into his daydreams far too little in the past several months, behind layers of silencing and scent-nulling spells so that Viktor never realized what he was up to with his toys. He can do all those things with Viktor now, and as soon as he is free of this blasted contract, he won't ever have to fear his own nature again.

He won't ever be uncomfortable with sex again. He can be with Viktor, any way he wants, any way Viktor wants, without ever hesitating.

Yuuri sobs at the thought, the energy filling the room spiking again and leaving him breathless. "Viktor, please," he begs, needing Viktor now.

Viktor doesn't hesitate, leaning down to kiss him while sliding a hand into Yuuri's pants to give him what he wants. " _Yes,_ Yuuri, my dear Yuuri, come for me, come --" 

It doesn't take more than a few strokes before Yuuri's orgasm is rushing through him in a hot wave, his fingers digging into Viktor's shoulders as he spills over Viktor's fingers. He shudders and shakes, his arms tight around Viktor as the force of his orgasm shocks him. As the waves of pleasure ebb away, Yuuri dazedly realizes he has never felt this full before. His lovers have never satisfied him like this, completely full and brimming with energy from sex -- and all from a simple orgasm with Viktor.

Viktor satisfies every part of him.

Yuuri is left feeling blissfully empty. He has Viktor in his arms, and now he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has made the right choice. The amazement from his realization leaves him quietly stunned, while Viktor rests on top of him, giving him the warmth and safety Yuuri craves. When Viktor shifts to move, Yuuri tightens his grip, not wanting him to go.

"Oh, Yuuri," Viktor whispers, debating briefly before turning them both on their sides and pulling Yuuri closer. Yuuri closes his eyes in relief.

"I love you," he whispers into Viktor's chest, unable to stop the words from tumbling out. "You make everything better."

Viktor presses a kiss to his hair, his sigh shaking slightly with his emotion. He feels as Yuuri does, just the same.

~

An while later, after a leisurely breakfast of _syrniki_ and a reluctantly quick shower, Yuuri stands in outside the bathroom fiddling with his phone, debating on what he should say to Phichit. Finally he sighs and sends a message, and unsurprisingly, Phichit's response is immediate.

 **katsudon-y** : _i'm going to be in town later today, do you want to meet up after my meeting with lilia? there's a bunch i have to tell you_

 **phichit+chu** : _of course! shall we meet at that café you like? with the tasty drinks?_

 **katsudon-y** : _that sounds fine_

 **phichit+chu** : _so what's this juicy gossip???_

 **katsudon-y** : _you'll find out later. i'll send you a message when my meeting is done_

 **phichit+chu** : _so cruel, yuuri! see you later!_

Yuuri shakes his head with a small smile. Phichit is going to be over the moon when Yuuri tells him about Viktor. He hasn't told anyone, not even his family -- not that they would be surprised, if his mother's reaction to Viktor is any indication -- and he hopes Phichit doesn't get mad because Yuuri kept it from him for a little while.

He just wanted time to be with Viktor, to get used to the changes in their relationship -- and it was entirely worthwhile.

Yuuri touches his lips, thinking of the heaviness of Viktor's cock on his tongue for a moment, then shakes the thought away before his body can turn it into more than passive desire. They need to leave for the Underworld soon, and he doesn't want to turn up to a meeting with Lilia with an erection -- even if they are _mara_ demons, and such a state would hardly be abnormal for their kind.

Yuuri, at least, has never shown up to a meeting in such a state. He's not going to start now.

With that thought, Yuuri sets off to look for Viktor. He finds Viktor standing in his bedroom, holding up two different shirts in indecision, his human glamour gone. Yuuri's nose twitches as he walks in, flushing slowly with the realization that Viktor has not bothered to clean off the scents of their earlier activities.

So much for going to the meeting and acting normal.

"Viktor, just because we're going to visit an enclave of sex demons doesn't mean you need to walk in smelling like sex." _In fact, it means the opposite!_ He doesn't want any of the other _mara_ scenting Viktor and getting ideas.

Viktor pays no attention to Yuuri's complaint, spinning to face him and holding up the two shirts. "Yuuri! Which one do you like better?"

Frowning at him does nothing, so Yuuri sighs and points at the left one. Viktor beams and lays it on the bed with intricate robes in blue, silver, and magenta, distracting Yuuri briefly before his nose twitches again.

"Viktor," Yuuri says firmly, "take a shower."

Viktor ignores him, though Yuuri can see a twinkle in his eyes that means Viktor heard him quite clearly. "You should go change, Yuuri. This is a very important meeting, after all. I bought you a little something that would be perfect for today. It's in the white bag at the back of your closet."

Yuuri doesn't resist the urge to cover his face, groaning into his hands. When he drags his hands down, a long sigh later, Viktor is watching him, his gaze soft with something fond and sweet, and it makes the tips of Yuuri's pointed ears heat up. Quickly he spins around and hurries off to his own room to find the outfit Viktor suggested.

Yuuri doesn't typically wear anything formal when he meets with Lilia. Most of the _mara_ either wear very little or opt for casual clothing, and Yuuri is no different -- he prefers simple trousers and shirts when he visits the Underworld. Viktor's robes and outfits are leagues away from Yuuri's boring clothes, but sometimes Yuuri thinks it would be fun, to dress up as Viktor does.

Sometimes. Not all the time.

With a sigh, Yuuri pulls out the white clothing bag and unzips it, then stops short to see the outfit within. It is black, one of his preferred colors, the top part backless for his wings, with crystals trailing down the neck and front of the outfit, sleeves hanging off the shoulders and wrapping around his fingers, the accents in red and silver. Fingers trembling, Yuuri lifts the silk and lace from the hanger and touches it, thinking he would look very good in this -- erotic, powerful, and capable. Something he has never felt before.

Yuuri waits a few long moments, listening to Viktor move around in the other room, before he pulls on the outfit, buttoning it behind his neck at last and flaring his wings a little. Then he turns to look himself in the mirror, and the outfit is everything he imagined, once upon a time when he was young and miserable and desperate to be a proper incubus.

"Oh, Yuuri," Viktor says from the doorway, and Yuuri barely glances at him, struck by his own appearance. "I knew it would be perfect for you. Very _eros_." Viktor walks over to him and wraps his arms around Yuuri's waist, pulling him into the safety of his embrace, and Yuuri leans back into him, breathing in the lingering scent of sex on Viktor's skin.

"This doesn't feel real," Yuuri admits softly. Viktor tightens his arms, saying nothing, instead broadcasting reassurance through the touch of his lips on Yuuri's neck. Wordlessly, Yuuri turns to face him, hiding his face in the soft cascade of Viktor's hair. They stand quietly together for a few moments as Yuuri slowly calms down.

Finally Yuuri shifts a little, noticing that Viktor has been scenting him. His nose twitches, tempted. "I still think you should shower." Otherwise he might jump Viktor again, and then they will be late.

Viktor just laughs.

~

When they appear in the Underworld, in a small alcove outside the _mara_ clan halls, Yuuri wants to run away. "You'll be back soon, right?" he asks Viktor, his voice going a little high. He doesn't let go of Viktor's hand.

"Yes, I will, I promise," Viktor murmurs, kissing Yuuri for a moment, long enough that his nerves ebb away a little. "We talked about this, remember? You will start the meeting with them, so that you can get your closure, and then I will join you. I'll be bringing something that will help convince them, but I'll need to pick it up first."

Yuuri nods, not letting go of Viktor's outer robe, wanting to hide himself away beneath it. He cannot hide, though; he needs to face this. With a deep breath, Yuuri straightens his shoulders, meeting Viktor's faintly glowing eyes and nodding. He is curious what Viktor intends to retrieve, but Viktor has refused to tell him so far.

Viktor smiles at him softly, cupping his gloved hand over Yuuri's cheek, before letting go of him and stepping back. "I'll see you soon, darling."

"Okay," Yuuri replies quietly, watching Viktor as he walks away. It unnerves him a little, knowing that Viktor _still_ smells of him, even though he did shower, but Viktor had insisted that he was done hiding and that he didn't care if anyone noticed. The idea of the whole Underworld noticing that plain, dime-a-dozen Yuuri, the worst incubus in the universe, left his mark on Viktor Velenos for anyone to see...

The pressure makes his knee buckle a little, but Yuuri holds his head up high. Already a few _mara_ are staring at him, and Yuuri decides to ignore them. He has a meeting to attend.

Lilia's door is open when Yuuri arrives at her office. Yuuri knocks on the panel anyway, meeting Lilia's red eyes across the room. Lilia is sitting at her desk, her usual yellow cloak resting across her shoulders, and when she takes in Yuuri's extravagant outfit and the scent of Viktor that still lingers on his skin, her eyes widen. He doubts she can smell the proof of their sexual intimacy, long since washed away, but it still makes him blush.

She composes herself, her surprise fading beneath an impassive expression. "Yuuri, welcome home. Please come in and have a seat." She gestures to a circle of plush chairs to one side of the office, a new arrangement that must have arisen from Chris' involvement in her decisions.

The reaction tips Yuuri's chin up a little more, and he enters the room, bowing briefly before sitting in one of the chairs. He notices Chris standing at the window, and when Chris turns to look at him, Yuuri nods in greeting.

Chris whistles at the sight of him. "That outfit is very attractive, Yuuri."

"Thank you, Chris," Yuuri acknowledges quietly, pleased. It really does suit him -- Viktor did very well.

The door closes with a wave of Lilia's hand, and she and Chris take a seat as well. A tray appears on the low table in the center of the circle, with steaming tea and small snacks, though Yuuri has no interest in eating, not with his stomach churning with anxiety. Lilia and Chris have no such reservations, helping themselves, but Yuuri ignores the tray for now.

He takes a deep breath, calming his nerves. Viktor will be here soon. He can get through this part alone.

Lilia meets his eyes with her usual impassive mien, and the expression calms Yuuri more. "Christophe explained to me what happened after your heat, Yuuri. I am sorry for my part in it. I should have told you about my relation to Viktor and the truth behind his identity. That truth is that I am Viktor's aunt by marriage. My husband is part of the Velenos family, and he made me promise to protect Viktor and keep his identity secret while he lived in the Overworld."

Yuuri tilts his head, relieved that Lilia apologized. It still hurts a little, to know that Lilia and Viktor lied to him for so long, but he has long since accepted it. "Viktor explained everything to me. I understand why you couldn't tell me."

Lilia nods slowly, her expression briefly showing her troubled thoughts. "Yes. I have never agreed with my husband's family, despite promising to keep their secrets. I can only hope that when Viktor takes over, that he can sway them to behave in a less odious manner." She watches Yuuri for a long moment, breathing in the scents clinging to his skin, and Yuuri flushes a little, knowing that he smells like Viktor. He is glad that he is not hiding their closeness.

"It seems that the relationship between you and Viktor has been changing. Will you tell me about it, Yuuri?" Lilia asks, her tone smooth and even. Yuuri is glad for the lack of judgement, but he remembers what she said clearly when she believed he was asleep, weeks ago.

_"I thought, perhaps, that Viktor would be good for Yuuri, but it is becoming clearer every day that he is not. Whatever agreement exists between them, I doubt Viktor is serious about keeping it."_

Yuuri takes a deep breath, then exhales. "Lilia- _neesan_ , I am in love with Viktor, and he is in love with me. I want to be with him, no matter what. I know he feels the same."

Lilia and Chris both blink at him, shocked. Yuuri doesn't hold himself back, his true feelings spilling out before he can help it. "I know you don't think he's good for me, or that we don't suit each other, but we really do. He matches me in ways I never thought possible. He meets me where I am."

Yuuri clenches his hands in his lap, uncomfortable with his own frankness, but still he pushes the words out, determined to make them known. "I think... I've been falling in love with him for months, and I keep falling in love with him more. I never understood what it meant to be an _eros_ incubus until I met Viktor. He... he's made me comfortable with myself, and he makes me happy." Yuuri smiles softly, reaching up to the glowing contract at his throat, remembering how wondrous it was to be with Viktor for the first time. "I want to make him happy, too. He's the first person I've ever wanted to hold onto, and no matter what you two say, I’m not going to leave him. I won't do it."

The promise hangs between the three of them, and Yuuri falls silent, waiting for their judgement. When he dares to look up, after a few minutes of quiet, he finds Chris watching him with a smile, while Lilia seems lost in contemplation, her expression softened in a way he has never seen before. When she notices his attention, Lilia smiles at him.

"What?" Yuuri blurts out, bewildered by their reactions. He had thought they would be against it!

Lilia's smile widens, a rare feature on her usually stern expressions. "You surprise me, Yuuri. You have never behaved in such a forward way before, and certainly not about an assignation. Yet... Viktor is no longer an assignation for you, is he?"

Wordlessly Yuuri shakes his head. Chris nods in agreement, and Lilia leans forward, clasping her hands together. "I do have my doubts about this relationship. I do," she says, holding up a hand when Yuuri moves to protest. "If only because you two have known each other for less than a year, and given the circumstances of the assignation, I feel hesitant to bless it. Yet I can see that you are serious, and I know that both you and Viktor are good people. I trust your judgement on your feelings for Viktor."

Chris speaks up then, his eyes bright as he watches Yuuri. "Do you trust him? After all that he did?"

Yuuri glances between them, his mouth tightening with determination. "Yes. Viktor is sincere, and I trust him. I understand if you're doubtful, but it doesn't change my mind."

"So certain," Chris murmurs, exchanging a glance with Lilia. "Well, I told you what their apartment looks like, Lilia. The space is shared between them and shows a home, not anything bad or suspicious. Plus Viktor is quite determined to take care of Yuuri."

Yuuri raises an eyebrow, wondering just what Viktor has been telling Chris. He meets Lilia's eyes, his heart in his throat.

Lilia watches him for a long moment. "Yuuri, are you truly certain that you want to be with Viktor? He will be the leader of the Velenos family someday. He will rule the Iriy realm and deal with Underworld politics and business. Someday, he will need an heir. He cannot entertain an affair with a _mara_ for very long."

Yuuri doesn't hesitate, his nerves rankled by the accusation, however mildly Lilia delivered it. "It won't be an affair. Viktor and I are going to court each other, and I am going to be his mate. I want to break my contract with the _mara_."

Lilia falls silent, stunned by his admission, and Chris is hardly any better. "You want to _what_? Yuuri, you haven't had sex in months. How are you going to survive?" Chris asks in surprise, no doubt remembering Yuuri's state from his heat.

Yuuri turns his head to meet Chris' wide-eyed shock. He thinks of having Viktor on their couch just this morning and smiles slowly, some of his joy seeping into his expression. He thinks of how wonderful sex with Viktor felt. "Haven't I?"

Chris stares at him another moment, then turns a frown on Lilia, who holds out a hand without a word to summon Yuuri's energy observer. The sight of it surprises Yuuri. The glass of shimmering red liquid is completely full, a beacon of sexual energy that Yuuri has never seen before, not his own. The brilliant glow must surprise Chris and Lilia as much as it does Yuuri, despite the fact that he knew it would look like that.

Well, he didn't think it would be so full. That is probably Viktor's fault. Shaking his head, Yuuri watches Lilia and Chris for a moment, realizing that all of their arguments against him and Viktor are now moot. This, more than anything else, shows that Viktor can take care of him. With a small sigh of relief, Yuuri picks up a cup of tea and sips it slowly, letting the familiar taste soothe his nerves.

Chris twists back to stare at him. "You and Viktor?"

"Mmhmm," Yuuri hums over his tea. He finds it rather amusing that Chris is so shocked. Then again, if someone had told him this would happen last year, he would have been just as bewildered.

"But two weeks ago, you hadn't..."

"Nope," Yuuri replies, his lips twitching upwards.

Chris purses his lips, then leans forward, a charming grin appearing on his mouth. He shares Yuuri's amusement now, and his approval is obvious. "How many times was this?"

Yuuri meets his eyes and smirks. "Just once."

"Wow," Chris says, looking stunned. Lilia is still staring at the energy observer, though soon her gaze returns to Yuuri, focusing on the glowing jewel at his throat. Yuuri lowers his tea, his nerves growing as Lilia remains silent. Even if she hurt him by lying to him, he still respects her greatly, and he wants her approval.

"I'm not sure what to think of this, Yuuri," Lilia says finally, and Yuuri's heart sinks.

"Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri starts, but he is interrupted by the door swinging open. All three demons turn in surprise. Yuuri relaxes at the sight of Viktor, tall and imposing in his fine, tailored robes, showing off his status as the Velenos heir. 

Lilia stands, a frown appearing on her face. "Viktor? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, no need to stand, Lilia. I've come to join your meeting with Yuuri." Viktor smiles charmingly at Lilia, closing the door behind him and crossing the room to sit in a chair beside Yuuri, his smile softening when he turns to face him. Yuuri slumps a little in relief, not hesitating to reach out for Viktor's hand. Viktor wastes no time in taking it, after removing his gloves and tucking them away.

"Well," Chris says, watching them closely, "this is unexpected, Viktor."

"Yes, well, seeing as how I'm a major part of this conversation, I thought I should take part myself," Viktor replies, tossing his hair with a challenging stare. Chris doesn't seem to respond to the antagonism, leaning back in his chair as Lilia sits down again, glancing between Viktor and Yuuri with a furrowed brow.

"So you say. Would you explain your presence, please? This is a meeting meant for Yuuri and his future."

Viktor turns his smile on Lilia, sharp and unrelenting, and Yuuri's eyes widen a little to watch him acting in such a way to Lilia of all people. Then again, he has never seen them interact before; this might be perfectly normal for them. "Yuuri's future is my future. I assume he explained this to you?" Viktor glances at Yuuri, who nods, his chest prickling with nerves as he remembers the conversation. Viktor squeezes his hand reassuringly at the first hint of Yuuri's old anxiety, and Yuuri breathes out slowly, sipping his tea for a moment before setting it down. He is more than content to let Viktor speak for them, now.

Lilia is not convinced. "Be that as it may --"

"Well! Now that we have established my reason for being here," Viktor carries on, ignoring the way Lilia's frown deepens and how Chris covers his face with a hand, "we can get to the most important part of this discussion. Lilia, will there be any magical repercussion for Yuuri if he breaks his contract with you and the _mara_ today?"

Yuuri watches Chris and Lilia quietly. Chris' hand drops from his face, and he stares at Viktor in shock, while Lilia's eyes widen, the energy observer that floats over her hand wobbling slightly. She blinks several times, looking between them, then focusing on the energy observer. Yuuri watches as she shifts her attention back to Viktor, holding his stare for a long moment, gauging his seriousness. Then she sighs and sends the device to float over the table between the four of them, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knee.

"You certainly have not lost your flair for the dramatic, Viktor," Lilia says finally, her tone a little sardonic. "You surprise me, just as Yuuri does. I had not thought you were so serious about this... but I see I was wrong, about both of you."

"I'll second that," Chris mutters, making Yuuri's lips twitch. "I saw that, Yuuri. Are you two serious right now? After what happened..."

His fingers tightening on Viktor's hand, Yuuri shakes his head, choosing to speak up over his nerves. "We're serious. Even... even if you don't approve of it, if you don't let me break the contract, I will still stay with Viktor. I won't take any other assignations, and when my contract runs out, I will go to him anyway."

"And do you feel that Viktor will satisfy your sexual needs as an incubus?" Lilia asks before Chris can interject. Yuuri holds her gaze for a moment, then glances at the energy observer, that same fullness still infusing his magic and body. All from Viktor.

Yuuri turns to look at Viktor, his face warming slightly as his gaze lingers on the mark he left on Viktor's neck. "Yes, I do," he says quietly, and Viktor beams at him, happiness curling between their fingers.

"Wow," Chris whispers, watching them with interest, but it is Lilia that Yuuri is most worried about. He tears his gaze from Viktor's face and hesitantly meets Lilia's gaze, hopeful for her approval, for any sign that she won't separate him and Viktor.

After a moment, Lilia smiles at Yuuri, shaking her head. "You need not look so anxious, Yuuri. There will be no repercussions for breaking the contract, except for some magical instability for a short while. You have fulfilled your final assignation, after all," she adds wryly, raising an eyebrow at Viktor, who grins at her. "If you two are certain about this, then I have no reason to deny it. Though, I would recommend that Yuuri enters the mating courtships as soon as possible. A bond would settle his magic after the contract is broken, not to mention Viktor's contract with his family."

Yuuri stares at Lilia, his heart in his throat, scarcely believing his ears. He looks down at his lap quickly before Lilia can see him cry, elated beyond words. For a few minutes, the room is silent as Yuuri struggles to regain control, and all the while, Viktor holds his hand, radiating reassurance.

"Thank you," Yuuri finally whispers.

"You are welcome, Yuuri," Lilia replies quietly, her voice warm with affection. Yuuri looks up when Lilia stands and steps around the table, leaning down to touch her finger to the collar. The metal clicks open, and Lilia pulls it off Yuuri's neck for the last time, carrying it over to her desk and setting it down beside a thick piece of parchment that appears floating in the air. Yuuri recognizes it -- he signed it a long time ago.

"I, Lilia Baranovskaya Velenos, do release Katsuki Yuuri from his contract with the _mara_ , forever more and with impunity. So mote it be," Lilia intones, drawing her hand down the contract and causing a line of red energy to rip it asunder. At the same time, the energy observer abruptly goes dark, the energy vanishing from it, alongside the glow in the collar gem.

Yuuri gasps when the contract lifts from his soul, reeling for a moment and feeling Viktor steady his shoulders. The contract release is nothing like a contract renewal, and a thousand times different than the end of Viktor's silencing spell. All at once his soul feels lighter, and Yuuri realizes he is crying, to know that he is _free_. He realizes that Viktor is kneeling in front of him, his hands on Yuuri's arms, looking up into his face with worry.

Blinking past his tears, Yuuri throws his arms around Viktor's neck and hugs him tightly, unable to speak his relief. How long has he dreamed of something like this? How long has he suffered his decision in silence? The burden of his contract is _gone_ , and now, now there is nothing that stands between him and Viktor. Nothing can stop them from being together.

"Okay?" Viktor whispers to him, and Yuuri nods, slowly letting go of Viktor. He meets Viktor's gaze and cannot help but smile, and Viktor returns it tenfold, reaching up to wipe the tears from Yuuri's cheeks.

"I meant to do this with a bit more ceremony," Viktor says quietly, and Yuuri blinks at him, confused. "This will do, though. Yuuri." He pulls two small boxes out of his pocket and opens the first, revealing a glimmering golden ring. Yuuri stops breathing.

"This was crafted with ore found solely in the Overworld," Viktor explains quietly, his eyes shining. "No spells, no magic. Nothing but simple metal. I have one, too." He opens the second box, which contains an identical ring, a little larger than the first. "Yuuri, if you will have me, I wish to court you, and for you to court me. Will you say yes?"

Yuuri hears Lilia and Chris gasp, but he pays them no attention. His entire world has narrowed down to Viktor and the rings in his hands, the earnest love on his face, and the hope that wavers between them, in Viktor's gentle touch. Yuuri reaches out with trembling fingers to take the box with the larger ring, then holds out his other hand, nodding once. He can't say the word -- but Viktor knows how he feels, anyway.

Viktor's entire face lights up, and his touch is utterly gently as he takes the ring from the box and slides it onto Yuuri's finger. Yuuri stares down at it for a long moment, taking a shuddering breath at the feel of the cool metal -- empty of anything that would influence either him or Viktor. That, more than anything, is a relief for Yuuri, after years of being trapped by another piece of metal.

He cannot express how grateful he is for Viktor's love.

After a moment of holding Viktor's hands, Yuuri turns his fingers over, pulling the second ring out. "I accept, and I wish for the same. If... if you will have me," Yuuri says softly, then slides the ring onto Viktor's finger, lifting his gaze to see Viktor's gaze shining with a sheen identical to the hot feeling in his throat. He thinks it might be happiness.

"Yes," Viktor whispers, leaning up to kiss him. Yuuri returns it without caring that Lilia and Chris are watching. He has what he wanted.

After Viktor pulls away, he moves to sit in the chair beside Yuuri again, never letting go of his hand. Chris is watching them with a smile, his eyes misty, and when at last they both face him, he begins to clap. "That was beautiful," Chris tells them, wiping at his eye. "I'm jealous, Viktor. You've set the bar high for every person in the Underworld who wants to mate, now."

Viktor laughs, his exhilaration rushing through Yuuri. "What can I say? Yuuri brings out the romantic in me," he says, making Yuuri blush again.

"I wish I could make you stop sometimes," he moans, but he can sense by Viktor's amusement that Viktor knows he doesn't mean it. He glances up nervously, but Lilia is smiling as well. She walks over to rejoin them, and for a little while, they tuck into the tea arrangement, the food welcome after a long and stressful morning.

Until the door bursts open.

All four of them start and turn, blinking at the newcomer. A young ice demon stands in the doorway, even shorter than Yuuri, long blond hair hanging over his vivid green eyes. His youthful face is fixed in a scowl, and he stomps into the room without caring for the meeting he is interrupting.

"Lilia! Yakov says I have to stay with you for a while!" the boy shouts, and then stops short when his eyes land on Viktor, who sits up straight at the sight of him. 

"Yuri?" Viktor says, sounding confused, and the name makes Yuuri start in surprise. He sets down his cup and turns to look at the boy more closely.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the boy blurts out, then covers his mouth as he takes stock of the occupants of the room. "Uh, I mean, greetings, Viktor. Sorry I interrupted." He leaves just as quickly as he entered, slamming the door behind him and making Lilia sigh.

"That boy," she mutters, rubbing at her temple. Viktor is frowning after the boy, and Yuuri is concerned about the emotions running through Viktor right now. _Worry, bafflement, suspicion._

"Who was that?" Yuuri asks, most of his attention on Viktor, though he is curious about the stranger.

"Yuri Plisetsky, also known as Yuri Velenos. A cousin of Viktor's, I forget the exact distance of relation," Lilia explains, frowning over at a picture frame on the wall. Yuuri follows her gaze, noticing that the picture is of Lilia, looking younger than she is now, and a disgruntled-looking man with blue eyes. Her estranged husband?

"Why is Yakov sending him to you?" Viktor asks slowly, and abruptly Yuuri is reminded of what Viktor told him, weeks ago. Viktor only became friendly with Lilia because his uncle Yakov would send him here, to escape the harshness of his clan. He wonders if this Yuri is in the same situation.

Lilia meets Viktor's eyes briefly. "He has not said why, just that he wishes Yuri to see more of the other realms. Yuri is... talented. Much like you were at that age. Maybe I am seeing things that are not there," she sighs. "I do not know. Still, Yakov sends Yuri to me on occasion, so that I may look after him. He is a kind boy, if rough around the edges."

"Hm," Viktor replies, distracted, and Yuuri watches him carefully. He wonder if Viktor's family is up to no good again -- and if they are, what Viktor intends to do about it. After a moment, Viktor seems to shake off his mood, glancing at the ring on Yuuri's finger as his smile reappears. Yuuri is relieved when Viktor's worry fades away, at least for the moment.

"Is there anything else you need of us, Lilia? Chris? If not, we have some errands to run."

Lilia shakes her head, making the tray disappear. "No, there is nothing else. I would suggest that you take a moment to empty out Yuuri's dormitory, at least." She fixes Yuuri with a small smile, standing to take his hands. "Yuuri. I am glad that you have found this happiness, even if it is with my silly nephew." 

She ignores Viktor's objection and squeezes Yuuri's hands, and at once Yuuri understands that Lilia is _proud_ of him, and so very happy for him. His eyes sting again, but he only nods, squeezing her hands back before letting go. He spares a smile for Chris, reaching out to take his hands as well, before stepping back to rejoin Viktor.

"Thank you, Lilia- _neesan_ ," Yuuri says, his voice a little choked. It's not every day that you leave home, after all.

"You are always welcome here. Visit me any time you wish," Lilia says, showing them to the door. Yuuri nods and follows Viktor out, holding on tightly to his hand until they have left the building, finally relaxing his grip.

Viktor is beaming at him, and between their fingers, their golden promise glimmers. "Shall we, Yuuri?"

Yuuri smiles back at him, his heart leaping with joy. "Let's go, Viktor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting so patiently for so long, lovelies. If you pay any attention to my tumblr, you'll know why I've been missing in action. Real life sucks, blah blah blah -- but happily, I am finally writing again. (Also, keep an eye out for the upcoming prompt-a-thon August 18-19 on [tumblr](http://amberstarfight.tumblr.com)!)
> 
> Thank you to all of you for your amazing support. It means the world to me. ILU all!
> 
> Shockingly, we have more fanart! Thank you so much!!!
> 
>   * [Ice-demon!Viktor and incubus!Yuuri in the hot spring from Chapter 8](http://ironphoenixashe.tumblr.com/post/158585317167/ice-demon-victor-and-incubus-yuuri-from) by ironphoenixashe! (semi-NSFW)
>   * [Nude incubus!Yuuri](https://nthebird.tumblr.com/post/160547449847/originally-posted-on-my-old-sherlock-fan-art) by nthebird! (semi-NSFW)
>   * [Nude ice-demon!Viktor](http://adwendoodles.tumblr.com/post/162096187593/kinda-sketchy-kinda-nsfw-ice-demon-viktor) by adwendoodles! (semi-NSFW)
> 

> 
> Let me know what you think (*´♡`*)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was betaed by the lovely @sugarlipx! Thank you!
> 
>  **Warning** : This chapter contains a scene with explicit sexual content.

After everything that happened, Yuuri is exhausted. Viktor is little better -- perhaps not as tired physically, but just as emotionally drained. After they close the door to Lilia's office, Yuuri debates just going home and hiding in bed with Viktor for the rest of the afternoon, but he promised Phichit he would meet him.

They leave the _mara_ districts hand in hand, silently agreeing to save the dormitory for later. Yuuri in particular takes a certain amount of pride at how many people do double takes at Viktor, many of them recognizing the famed Velenos heir. Yuuri can smell their jealousy and faint lust, and it makes his nerves prickle, half out of embarrassment, and half out of an irrational urge to hide Viktor away from their nosiness.

Viktor acts oblivious to it all, keeping a smile on his face, but Yuuri knows the truth. Through their entwined hands, Yuuri can feel his amusement spilling over the shared touch. Every time Yuuri glances at him, annoyed, Viktor stifles his laughter.

"You're no help," Yuuri complains under his breath, and Viktor cannot help but chuckle.

"This is a new side of you I get to see, Yuuri!" Viktor beams, his heart-shaped smile reappearing, and Yuuri sighs. This will be their first public outing together in the Underworld, and he knows logically that people will see him, that rumors will begin to spread, and that Viktor's family might even find out before the big clan meeting next week, where Viktor will introduce him to his whole family.

He should be prepared for this level of attention. He isn't, at all -- but Viktor makes it easier to handle, because he never lets go of Yuuri's hand.

Yuuri gets rather distracted every time he looks at their hands and notices the ring. The sight of it sends a thrill into Yuuri's heart each time, making a goofy little smile appear on his face, before he has to shake it away. Viktor is no better -- sometimes Yuuri has to pull him forward, because Viktor is all but floating in his happiness.

"I can't help it, Yuuri," Viktor sighs, after they both spend five minutes just smiling at each other. "Everything is going right, for once." Yuuri blushes, absurdly pleased.

"I know," he says softly, leaning in to give Viktor a kiss.

When they near the shopping district in the city, where Yuuri intends to meet Phichit, Viktor slows, his amusement shifting to worry. Yuuri glances at him in concern, and Viktor sighs, looking past him into the crowd. His thoughts pass Yuuri's notice too quickly for him to parse any of them, but he suspects that Viktor is thinking about his family. The antics of the Velenos clan have rested heavily on both their minds, ever since the mess two weeks ago.

Yuuri hesitates, then sends off a message to Phichit and receives one in reply quickly, stating that Phichit is busy with a ceremony but he will be done in less than an hour.

"Maybe we should go home for a bit," Yuuri wonders, not particularly wanting to wait around, but Viktor shakes his head.

"I don't want to leave and come back if we can help it. Is your friend ready to meet you?"

"No," Yuuri replies with a sigh. "He'll be busy for a while. Do you want to do something? We could go back and clear out my dormitory. I have one of those bags of holding we can put everything into."

Viktor contemplates that for a moment, then shakes his head. "Later. We can walk around for now. Maybe... do you need some spell components?"

Yuuri tilts his head, thinking of his supply of herbs, stones, and other ingredients, then nods. "A few... did you need something?" 

Viktor squeezes his hand, but his eyes are skirting away, fixing on the road ahead. "Not right now. Why don't you do that, then? I think I'll go... ah, look into a few things while you're busy," Viktor hedges. 

Yuuri is not impressed. "You're going to go snoop about your family, aren't you?"

Viktor turns wide eyes on him, and Yuuri rolls his eyes, unsurprised that Viktor is so transparent. "I don't mind," Yuuri says, leaning up to peck Viktor's cheek. "Since there were those rumors, too..."

"Mm," Viktor says, briefly distracted, before shaking his head. "You amaze me, Yuuri. I don't think anyone has ever seen right through me, the way you do." His soft words carry a blush to Yuuri's cheeks, and he looks away, studying the pebbles on the ground. Viktor chuckles softly. "I'll meet up with you later. You're going to Drinks On Us, right?"

"Yeah," Yuuri agrees. "That's where Phichit wants to meet."

"Then I'll see you later."

They kiss in parting, before Viktor vanishes into the crowd. Yuuri stands still for a few moments, watching the people passing him, some of them eyeing him in interest, others following Viktor with their eyes as he walks away. Yuuri shakes himself a little, but he cannot help a small smile as he focuses on the shops nearby.

Phichit hasn't texted him again, so Yuuri decides to poke around the shopping district. Shopping is much more Viktor's thing than Yuuri's, but he does need some more supplies for spells, and he wouldn't mind a few Underworld ingredients for cooking. (Viktor almost always uses only Overworld ingredients, but Yuuri grew up on fusion cuisine.)

Half an hour later, Yuuri is debating between two bags of dried vartuan petals when he hears a quiet noise from his phone. Rolling his eyes, as Yuuri had definitely turned the sound off earlier, Yuuri opens his phone and sees an incoming call from Phichit.

"Hold on," Yuuri answers, setting down one of the bags and carrying his items to the counter. He ignores Phichit's response and tucks the phone against his shoulder as he counts out crystals and coins, giving them to the shop assistant before leaving with his goods.

"Yuuri," Phichit whines into his ear when Yuuri pulls the phone back up, "how could you? I'm finally here, and you wouldn't talk to me!"

"I was checking out at a store!" Yuuri defends himself, a smile coming to his face. "Hi, Phichit-kun."

"Hi, Yuuri," Phichit says patiently, then laughs. "Where are you? Hurry up! I'm so excited to see you!"

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Why don't you order for us?"

"Sure!"

Yuuri hangs up while shaking his head, amused at his longtime friend. He doesn't waste any time in making his way to the restaurant down the street, Drinks On Us. Almost a year ago, he had first seen Viktor here, though he had not recognized him at the time. He shivers a little, wondering what might have happened if Viktor had expressed his interest on that day, right here.

Before his allure can get out of control, Yuuri ducks into the restaurant and makes his way over to the table where Phichit has made camp, grinning when his friend waves excitedly at him. He sets his bags on the table and falls into a chair with a sigh, tired from his small shopping expedition. He should leave it to Viktor next time.

"You look wonderful, Yuuri," Phichit says, marveling over his outfit. "Where did you get that? It's beautiful!"

"Thanks," Yuuri says with a small smile, touching his fingers to the glowing purple drink that Phichit ordered for him. He doubts it will be as fulfilling as anything Viktor makes, but that's just his personal preference, and he does really enjoy the drinks here. "How have you been, Phichit-kun?"

"I've been fine, but really, Yuuri! After you wound me up with all this talk of gossip and news, you're going to focus on small talk?" Phichit sighs, shaking his head. "Spill, Yuuri."

Yuuri laughs, most of his anxiety easing away. Phichit is one of his dearest friends, and he admittedly looks forward to his reaction. "Well... a lot happened. First, I quit working for Lilia."

For a moment Phichit just gapes at him, before reaching for Yuuri's hand, his eyes growing wide with concern. "What happened? Tell me!"

Yuuri bows his head, then casts a small privacy spell, to keep away interested listeners. Then he begins to tell Phichit everything, beginning with his assignation, and all the secrets he was never told. Throughout the story, Phichit stays silent, never interrupting nor showing judgement, though his eyes widen with amazement at several points in Yuuri's story.

"And then," Yuuri is explaining, his face now bright red, "Viktor and I went home. And... it's been wonderful. He's been wonderful. I never thought someone like him would ever look at someone like me." He shrugs self-deprecatingly, and Phichit makes a noise of exasperation, a familiar one. He has long been pushing Yuuri to believe in himself more. "But I'm happy now, Phichit. At least, happier than I've ever been before, and it's all because of Viktor."

Phichit finally speaks, his eyes bearing into Yuuri's face. "Viktor, as in Viktor Velenos, heir to the Velenos realm."

Yuuri shrugs a little sheepishly. "Yeah... but you can't tell anyone that part."

Phichit frowns a little. "So that rumor about him looking for a mate?"

"He doesn't know anything about it. He's been with me the whole time," Yuuri replies, his mien softening a little. "He certainly isn't in the market for a mate." Without thinking, his gaze strays to his finger, where Viktor's ring sits. Phichit looks at his hand as well.

Phichit stares for a long time, his eyes slowly growing wide. Then he gasps and jumps to his feet, the privacy spell breaking as Phichit's enthusiasm overwhelms its boundaries. "Everyone!" he shouts joyfully, throwing his arms up. "My friend got married! Congratulations!"

Yuuri gapes up at him, horrified. "Phichit-kun, shh!" He is too late, though, as everyone in the restaurant starts to clap, many of them other _mara_ who know Yuuri by reputation, all of them smiling with congratulations for him. Yuuri shrinks down under all the attention, his face turning bright red, yet oddly happy. He tugs Phichit back into his chair, exasperated.

"Phichit-kun!"

"Yuuri!" Phichit retorts with a laugh, grasping his hand and admiring the ring. "I can't believe you! Finding a mate and getting married! I'm so happy for you!"

"We're not married yet," Yuuri insists, then blushes red at his own words. "I mean, well, we're not! We're just courting right now! That will be... a while."

Phichit smiles happily at him, reaching across the table to take Yuuri's hand and admiring the ring, and Yuuri lets him, a small smile curling on his lips. He can feel Phichit's joy for him, and it warms his heart, that his best friend reacted so positively. "That's wonderful, though, Yuuri! And you know he's loaded, with an entire realm at his beck and call," Phichit adds with a wink, making Yuuri groan.

"I told you, he's not like that..." He trails off, thinking of all the expensive things Viktor likes to buy for him, including the very clothes he is wearing, then hangs his head. "Okay, he is a little like that. He's awful, you know. He won't stop manipulating human currency. I had to block the wi-fi once because he wouldn't stop buying things!"

"What a guy," Phichit sighs, laughing at Yuuri's exasperated look. "I'm glad. You deserve to be spoiled by your special someone."

Yuuri mumbles something in reply and busies himself with his drink. "You won't tell anyone, will you? About Viktor and, uh... the Overworld?" He lowers his voice a bit now that the privacy spell is gone.

"I won't, I won't," Phichit promises, pulling out his phone and starting to take several pictures of Yuuri's ring up close. "Turn your hand around. Perfect! I won't say a word, Yuuri. But I have to tell everyone that you're being courted by the most famous demon in the Underworld! Instagram will _love_ it." Phichit's look of rapture causes Yuuri some concern, but he only shakes his head, used to his friend's love of the internet and gossip.

"Married, huh? Is that even legal for someone like you?" says a voice, jeering, and Yuuri and Phichit look up in surprise, their amusement fading. Standing beside their table is an ice demon with pale hair and eyes, though he doesn't look nearly as striking as Viktor. On his shirt is the symbol of the Velenos family. Yuuri slowly raises an eyebrow, undaunted by the rude comment -- he has heard far worse in the past.

For a brief moment, Yuuri debates replying, then shakes his head and turns back to Phichit. He doesn't need to defend himself against demons with an attitude, and he doesn't want to cause trouble for Viktor, if this demon is part of his family. "Did you already post those pictures to Instagram?" Yuuri asks Phichit, his voice calm.

Phichit looks between him and the Velenos demon, wide-eyed. He raises his phone a little. "Yes, but --"

The ice demon scowls, interrupting. "Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you, _mara_." He reaches down as if to grab Yuuri, but Yuuri hits his hand away, glancing up at the demon again and narrowing his eyes.

"Do you mind?" Yuuri says more than asks, a chill in his voice, and his glare takes the demon aback, before his face twists again.

"Don't talk to me like that, you whore --"

"Ivan Morovich Velenos," snaps a familiar voice, and Yuuri jumps slightly, looking past the demon to see Viktor striding toward them, a hard look on his face. When Viktor reaches them, he grabs Ivan and pulls him around, and Yuuri feels rather gratified to see the Velenos demon turn white with shock. "Apologize to him, _now_."

Ivan sputters, pointing at Yuuri while pulling his arm out of Viktor's grip. "What the hell, Viktor? This dumb _mara_ said --"

If possible, Viktor's mien grows colder. "Don't you dare insult him. I said apologize!"

Yuuri's gaze is fastened to Viktor's face. He has never seen Viktor so angry, and it sends a little thrill through him. He has seen Viktor in a temper before, of course, usually over something small that they manage to resolve quickly, but this... this is something else. Viktor is furious, and at someone for their treatment of Yuuri. He doesn't think this has ever happened to him before.

"Viktor," Yuuri says gently, standing and sliding his hand around Viktor's clenched fist. Ivan turns to him in surprise, and Yuuri gives him a pleasant smile, leaning into Viktor's side. If Ivan wants to think him a pretty empty-headed whore, then he can play the part. "Is this... gentleman from your family?"

Viktor glances briefly at him, and whatever he feels through the touch of their hands makes him relax a tiny bit, though his eyes are no less frosty when he looks back at the ice demon. "Yes. Ivan Morovich, son of the head of the Velenos family. My cousin," Viktor bites out. Yuuri carefully pries his hand open and entwines their fingers.

"It's nice to meet you, Ivan. I'm Yuuri, the whore," Yuuri says, his smile widening when Ivan blanches again. "Now, I would invite you to join us, but I'm afraid this is a private party. If you don't mind?"

Ivan glances between him and Viktor, then at their entwined hands, before glaring up at Viktor. "Seriously, Viktor?"

Viktor glares back, while Yuuri's smile becomes fixed. "You need to leave, now. I will deal with you later."

"But Viktor --"

"Go." Viktor doesn't stop glaring as the demon slinks away, cowed. When finally Ivan leaves the restaurant, both Viktor and Yuuri sigh in relief. It is then that Yuuri notices that several people are watching them, including _mara_ that Yuuri knows, and he turns red at the attention. 

"Viktor, sit down," Yuuri whispers, and he has to coax Viktor into the booth with him. After a moment, Viktor shakes his head and relaxes, resting their hands together on the table. Yuuri feels it when Viktor notices the attention on them, though to his surprise, Viktor does nothing to stop it, drawing a look from Yuuri.

Viktor gives him a small smile. "Let them stare, Yuuri. I'm not going to hide our relationship, and I don't care what they think. I'm sure my family will find out by the end of the day, anyway," he says, a scowl briefly crossing his lips.

"We can handle it," Yuuri says quietly, finally smiling. Viktor smiles back at him, then lifts Yuuri's hand to kiss the ring on his finger. Yuuri warms, no longer minding the attention from their watchers as much, until he hears a happy sigh from across the table.

"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," marvels Phichit, his camera up and aimed right at Yuuri and Viktor. "I posted the whole thing online!"

Yuuri gapes. "You _what_? Phichit-kun!"

Phichit beams, putting a hand behind his head sheepishly and adopting a cute expression. "I couldn't help it!"

Yuuri sighs deeply, not even wanting to think about the consequences of that video circling the internet. "Viktor, this is Phichit Chulanont, a _yakṣa_ from the human country of Thailand. He's my best friend, when he's not ruining my social life."

Viktor turns a charming smile on Phichit. "It's nice to meet you, Phichit."

Phichit's eyes go a little wide. "Wow, the prince of the Velenos family is speaking to me!" He fans himself for a moment, then brightens and holds out his hand for Viktor to shake. "It's nice to meet you! Thank you for taking care of Yuuri! I've never seen him this happy."

Yuuri blushes, sinking a little in his seat, but Viktor only laughs, stroking his thumb over the gold band on Yuuri's finger. "I'm trying my best."

Yuuri watches as they talk, slowly relaxing when they seem to get along. He glances around surreptitiously, but the interest has slowly lessened, as nobody seems to watching them for drama any longer. He does notice a few people eyeing Viktor, and Yuuri cannot help but feel a rush of irritation, that everyone thinks they can look at Viktor like something to covet.

Then he pulls up short, blinking, no longer listening to Viktor and Phichit. Is he... jealous?

He doesn't have anything to be jealous about. He certainly does not need to act possessive over Viktor. It wouldn't do either one of them any good; besides, Viktor would never look at anyone else. Yuuri does not need to worry.

With a small sigh, he leans closer to Viktor, relishing in his warmth. Beneath his touch, Viktor's thoughts linger on the encounter with his family member, and Yuuri silently wishes to reassure him. Whatever happens, they will face it together.

Viktor squeezes his hand, and Yuuri lets himself smile, before rejoining the conversation.

~*~

After lunch with Phichit, who sees them off with a wide smile, Yuuri and Viktor walk back to the dorms together. Yuuri catches quite a few interested looks when he brings Viktor up to his apartment, but he closes and locks the door before anyone can proposition them.

When the door closes, Viktor catches Yuuri's hands and draws him close, tilting his head to rest it against Yuuri's shoulder. Yuuri sighs slowly and leans into him, closing his eyes, the long and emotionally exhausting day making him want to go to sleep. Viktor is not as tired, physically, but he feels the drain from the day's events just as heavily as Yuuri does.

"You did marvelously today," Viktor murmurs to him, turning his head to kiss Yuuri's ear. Yuuri smiles a little, closing his fingers a bit so that he can touch Viktor's ring.

"I can't believe you did that," he whispers. "In front of Lilia- _neesan_ and Chris..."

Viktor chuckles. "I would have liked to do it with a wider audience. Perhaps my entire family, to prove to them how much I love you. Or just the two of us... I wanted to make it as romantic as possible."

Shaking his head, Yuuri huffs a small laugh, turning to hide his face in Viktor's shoulder. "I think it was very romantic." He squeezes Viktor's hands, and after a moment, Viktor lets them go, only to wrap his arms around Yuuri's shoulders and hug him tightly, a slight tremble running through his frame from the force of his emotion. Yuuri tilts his head up to press their cheeks together, softening.

"Take me home," he murmurs, and Viktor draws in a raspy breath, shaky with happy tears.

"Yes."

They pack up his room together. Everything goes in the Bag of Holding, and Viktor takes his time to fold Yuuri's clothes, careful to preserve them as he puts them away. Every so often, Yuuri pauses to watch him, amazed at the sight of Viktor's grand figure surrounded by his shirts and sweaters, and each time, Viktor looks up to smile at him, his eyes bright.

"Everything here smells like you," Viktor tells him at one point, making Yuuri blush. He knows rather well how much Viktor likes his scent. "I love it."

At one point Viktor takes a break to use some of Yuuri's stationary to write a few letters. When Yuuri asks him about it, Viktor makes a face, not looking up from the paper where he is writing in one of the demon scripts.

"I'm writing to my uncle, Yakov. I need to report Ivan's behavior, and I'd like to know more about what has been happening while I've been away. Yakov is someone I can trust."

"What about that boy who visited us? Yuri?" Yuuri asks curiously, and Viktor pauses in consideration.

"I had forgotten about him. I'll ask Yakov about that, too," Viktor decides, returning to his letter. Yuuri leaves him to it and goes to empty his closet.

At last, they finish putting everything away, and Yuuri spends several minutes dismantling his privacy wards and all of the spells he has keyed to his magic. Then he leaves the key on the bed and reaches out for Viktor's hand, standing in the middle of the transportation circle. Viktor takes his hand and doesn't let go, not even when they appear in Yuuri's bedroom in their apartment.

Makkachin runs into the room to greet them, and Yuuri lights up, setting his bags on his bed, before kneeling down to hug her. Viktor watches them with a small smile as Makkachin gives Yuuri kisses and love, before happily joining them.

Yuuri is home, now.

~*~

That evening, Yuuri sits alone on the couch, his legs pulled up with his favored blue blanket tucked around him, reclining against the pillows. Viktor is sitting in the middle of the floor with Makkachin, happily entertaining her with a toy. Yuuri watches them with a small smile, lost in thought.

Everything has been unpacked. His room and the living room are now full of all of his belongings, and the space feels more crowded than what Yuuri is used to. It is a good feeling, though, to have everything he owns with him once again. His life has been in a constant state of transition from place to place, from one patron's bed to the next, and for the first time in his life, Yuuri doesn't have to worry about whether he will meet his monthly quota, or his next meeting with Lilia- _neesan_ , or whether he will have enough energy to survive.

His gaze drops to his ring, and slowly he twists it around his finger, admiring the way it glints in the light.

"You're quiet tonight," Viktor observes, as Makkachin lays happily chewing on her toy. When he looks up at Yuuri, a smile touches his lips, before he shifts to his knees and crawls closer to sit against the side of the couch, resting his head against Yuuri's leg.

"I never thought my life would turn out this way," Yuuri says quietly, reaching down to stroke his fingers through Viktor's platinum locks. "It's like a dream. I'm afraid I'll wake up and none of this will be real."

"This is very real, darling." Viktor takes Yuuri's other hand and brings it to his lips, kissing his fingers. Yuuri holds his breath for a moment, his heart aching with happiness and _want_. Viktor catches onto the strength of the emotion and holds his gaze for a moment. "Tell me what you need, Yuuri," Viktor says after a moment, his voice hushed, and Yuuri shivers.

"You," he whispers. "Just... you."

"Then you have me," Viktor murmurs with a smile, shifting to his knees, then leaning over to kiss Yuuri. Their hands entwine, and Yuuri lets out a low, needy sound, wanting Viktor to come closer. Viktor obliges him immediately, dragging the blanket off Yuuri's legs before replacing it with his own body. Yuuri sighs and shifts his legs to accommodate Viktor, hooking one ankle behind Viktor's knee.

"This couch isn't really big enough for two people, you know," he murmurs into Viktor's mouth, catching his chuckle.

"Maybe I should get us a bigger couch, then. This is very nice, though..."

Yuuri has nothing to say to that. He lifts his hands to Viktor's face, rubbing his thumb beneath Viktor's eyes, merely admiring him for a long moment. He still does not know how he became so lucky as to earn this man's love.

"Viktor... is it okay if I release my allure a little?" Yuuri asks, a little breathless.

Instead of saying anything, Viktor smiles and leans down to kiss Yuuri's neck, breathing in deeply, and through his touch, Yuuri can feel that Viktor wholeheartedly _wants_. With a deep breath, Yuuri slowly eases his control over his allure, letting the powerful pheromones spill into the room. Viktor groans, but he otherwise does not react, as he has become more and more used it over the past few weeks.

Then Viktor lifts his head and kisses Yuuri, pressing him back into the couch. Yuuri all but melts beneath him, closing his eyes as he surrenders. Viktor is utterly gentle with him, one hand resting idly on Yuuri's stomach and stroking the inches of skin he can reach, the other running long fingers down Yuuri's leg, content to touch him any way he wishes.

Yuuri wants every one of those touches. He wants to know Viktor as a lover, to learn what his innermost desires are. He wants Viktor to touch him, and he wants to touch Viktor, to learn all the secrets of his body. Viktor has already given Yuuri his heart, and Yuuri loves that he can share everything with Viktor now.

He doesn't have to go begging for sex from strangers anymore, nor does he have to share Viktor with the world any longer. If any _mara_ or other demons come after Viktor Nikiforov, infamous human, then Yuuri will be sure to convince them to leave him alone. He doesn't want anyone to look at Viktor.

Viktor pulls back a bit, and Yuuri blinks his eyes open, then realizes that his thoughts are turning uncomfortably possessive.

"You keep surprising me," Viktor breathes, dragging their mouths together, and Yuuri whimpers. "You don't need to be jealous of anybody else, my love."

Yuuri wraps his arms around Viktor and pulls him closer. "I... I want you to look only at me. All those fans and _mara_ and admirers, I don't want them to look at you at all."

Yuuri feels ashamed of the admission, but Viktor does not judge him for it, his gaze softening. He lifts Yuuri's hand and kisses his palm. "I will always look at you, only you," Viktor tells him. "Never at anybody else. I haven't looked away from you since I first saw you, Yuuri."

"Viktor," Yuuri whispers, then pulls Viktor in for another kiss. This time it is deeper, hotter, and Yuuri can feel Viktor's soft wonder that Yuuri is opening up to him like this. Yuuri feels amazed as well, that he can taste Viktor in this way, and that it feels _easy_ and familiar, instead of daunting like every sexual partner he has had in the past.

Viktor's hand tightens on his hip. "Don't think of them," Viktor whispers, and Yuuri shudders a little. He has never told Viktor about his past assignations, and he wonders if Viktor would be jealous of them.

 _Yes, he would._ The thought reverberates through him.

"No one makes me feel like you do," Yuuri gasps, tilting his head back to get air. Viktor lowers his head and kisses Yuuri's neck, dragging his teeth along the hollow of his throat. Yuuri breathes in the scent of Viktor's arousal and groans, and a moment later, Viktor sits up and straddles his legs.

"It goes both ways," Viktor says, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it to the floor. Yuuri reaches up to slide his hands up Viktor's chest, unable to resist touching him. Viktor catches his hand and kisses his ring again, holding Yuuri's gaze. "I don't want to share you, either. Not with the _mara_ , not with Chris, not with your clients or lovers."

Yuuri shakes his head minutely. "I don't... I don't have lovers. I never wanted anybody before you. Sometimes I'd sleep with Chris for energy but..." His face flushes uncomfortably. "I didn't _like_ sex. With you it's different."

Viktor pauses in unbuckling his pants, staring down at him for a long moment. Yuuri cannot hold his gaze, and after a moment he reaches up to cover his own face, ashamed of his feelings. A moment later, Viktor takes his hands and gently tugs them away, pulling Yuuri up and hugging him tightly.

"Don't be ashamed, Yuuri. Don't ever be ashamed of who you are." Yuuri closes his eyes tightly and wraps his arms around Viktor, and Viktor kisses his hair, stroking a hand down Yuuri's back. "If anything makes you uncomfortable, you'll tell me, right?"

"Nothing you do makes me uncomfortable," Yuuri whispers.

Viktor is firm, though. "Anything at all. I know what consent means to a _mara_. I want you to tell me immediately if you don't like what we do, at any time. I will do the same for you. Okay, love?"

Yuuri nods his head, unable to say anything for a moment, and Viktor draws back, cupping his face and laying kisses on his cheeks and eyes. Yuuri lets him, a few tears leaking out, before he lifts his head and kisses Viktor on the lips, lying back down and drawing Viktor on top of him.

"I have you," Viktor whispers, not taking his eyes off Yuuri's face. Yuuri cannot look away from him, either, pushing Viktor's short, glamoured hair away from his face, loving this look on Viktor, too. The kisses grow deeper, and more clothes join Viktor's shirt on the floor. At one point their legs get tangled while they try to wrestle off their pants, and Yuuri gets frustrated enough to snap his fingers, the rest of their clothes disappearing completely.

"Wow," Viktor says, blinking down at their suddenly bare legs, then laughs. "That's amazing!"

Yuuri flushes a little, but he is too distracted by Viktor's naked body to reply. Even in his human glamour, Viktor is gorgeous, his cock already hard and resting against Yuuri's hip. Yuuri licks his lips, wanting to taste him again, but he decides to let Viktor take charge this time.

Viktor is looking at him as well. He draws his fingers down Yuuri's chest to his hip, neatly skipping his aching erection and sliding his fingers along Yuuri's leg instead, a little smirk quirking at his lips. Yuuri lets his eyes go dark with want, biting his lip and arching up to press closer to Viktor, rolling his hips a little, teasingly.

"Viktor..."

At his erotic display, Viktor inhales sharply, his fingers tightening over Yuuri's ankle. "Tease," Viktor murmurs, pushing Yuuri's leg up a bit to kiss the inside of his thigh. Yuuri gazes up at him, half-lidded and helpless, before he gives up the front and smiles, reaching up to cup Viktor's face. Part of it wasn't even an act -- Viktor really does make him that needy.

"I could play a role with you, but... it's nice just to be me, with you. And I want you just to be you, with me."

"Oh, Yuuri," Viktor sighs, leaning down to kiss him again and pressing their bodies together. Yuuri can feel his love, his heartfelt devotion, alongside amazement that Viktor actually has Yuuri in his arms like this. His own heart seizes with affection, and Yuuri depends the kiss, sliding his tongue against Viktor's and enjoying his warmth.

He can sense Viktor's arousal increasing, and though Yuuri can think of many different ways to pleasure Viktor, he wants Viktor to decide for them. He breaks the kiss and turns his head to touch his lips to Viktor's ear, smiling.

"Whatever you want, Viktor."

"Mm," Viktor sighs, tilting his head down to brush his lips over Yuuri's pulse, then sitting up again, smirking. "I want to touch you, then. You didn't let me look at you as much as I wanted this morning... so I will change that now."

"Okay," Yuuri whispers, flushing at the intensity in Viktor's eyes. He settles his legs on either side of Viktor's hips, letting him look his fill, and look Viktor does. His gaze is followed by his touch, his fingers drawing down Yuuri's body, slowly exploring.

Every touch sets Yuuri's nerves on fire. Viktor coaxes little sighs and noises from him, and occasionally he revisits a favored spot with his lips, which curl every time Yuuri moans. By the time Viktor reaches his hips, Yuuri's cock is leaking, and his body is quivering with want. He can sense Viktor's arousal just as strongly, that teeming sexual energy pressing against his senses, and though he is already full from this morning, he _wants_.

"Viktor, please," Yuuri begs, unashamed of his need. Viktor chuckles, drawing one finger down Yuuri's stomach, then slowly wrapping around his erection. Yuuri's breath hitches as Viktor touches him, and he looks down to watch Viktor's hand, biting his lip. Viktor takes his time in exploring this part of Yuuri, too, his hand hot against his skin.

"You're so lovely, Yuuri. So beautiful like this," Viktor croons, dragging his thumb over the head of Yuuri's cock and spreading his slick precome. "I didn't get to touch you this morning. I thought about it all day... I thought about it while in that room. Kneeling at your feet and taking care of you, while you dealt with everything." A shiver runs through Viktor, and Yuuri catches the edge of the fantasy, biting his bottom lip at the image of Viktor looking adoringly up at him from his feet.

He knows full well that Viktor loves to take care of him. Up until now, that urge has mostly been assuaged by Viktor buying things for Yuuri, cooking for him, and looking after his aches and pains after long practices. How many times has Viktor taken Yuuri's sore feet into his lap and massaged them in the evenings?

Now, though... Viktor can do even more, and Yuuri would let him. He can't help but imagine Viktor waiting and eager, naked as he is now, and Yuuri could do _anything_ to him and Viktor would beg for more.

"I want to," whispers Viktor, his eyes wide. His fingers wrap more firmly around Yuuri and stroke downward, sending a hard shudder through him. "I would do anything for you, Yuuri."

"You can't just say things like that," Yuuri moans, digging his feet into the couch cushions. "I'd _let_ you. I'd let you do anything."

"Even in the middle of a meeting with your former boss?" Viktor asks, a grin touching his lips. "Or how about... in the middle of that restaurant, where everybody would see that I belong to you?"

"I'm not an exhibitionist," Yuuri mutters, looking away as his face flushes. He finds the idea of telling the entire Underworld in no uncertain terms that Viktor is _his_ , and that he is Viktor's, rather attractive.

"No?" Viktor teases, leaning down to kiss Yuuri's chest.

"I'm _eros_ , not _ludus_ \-- ah! Viktor, you bit me," Yuuri gasps, reaching for Viktor's hair, and Viktor laughs softly, kissing the mark he left.

"Just a taste." He does more than taste, though, tilting his head up to kiss Yuuri's nipple, then biting it as well. Yuuri writhes a little at the sharp pain, sighing as it is followed by Viktor's tongue, hot and sweet. He wonders if Viktor would let him return the pleasure that is clouding his mind and leaving him breathless, and he is already reaching out when Viktor catches his hand and pins it above his head, clicking his tongue chidingly.

"Yuuri, it's my turn to touch you, remember? Keep those there," Viktor says. He takes both of Yuuri's hands in one grip and stretches them up, then leaves something cold around them. When Yuuri tries to move his hands a second later, he realizes that Viktor has pinned him to the couch with a weak binding of magic.

"Viktor, unfair," Yuuri whines, arching up to grind himself against Viktor's hips, and Viktor pushes him back down with one hand, still stroking him.

"Ah, careful," Viktor murmurs, his eyes fever-bright as he looks down at Yuuri. "It's still my turn."

"Your turn is taking forever -- oh!"

Viktor smiles, leaning down to kiss along his stomach, dipping his tongue briefly into Yuuri's naval. "You're doing so well, Yuuri." The praise creeps into Yuuri's skin, and he shudders again, tugging futilely on his bindings. He could break them easily, but he finds it much more arousing to hold onto the illusion of captivity, trusting that Viktor will take care of him. Viktor's love is surrounding him, and Yuuri cannot help but love him, for bringing him this far and giving him so much.

"Viktor, love you," Yuuri moans, thrusting up into Viktor's hand, as far as he can, as Viktor still has him pinned. "Please, I need..."

Viktor's hand picks up pace a little, and he looks up at Yuuri, his eyes going dark. "Tell me. Tell me what you need, Yuuri."

"Your mouth," Yuuri breathes, swallowing at the intense look on Viktor's face. "Your... your hands. You. I want to make you feel good. I need you to feel as much pleasure as you give me."

Viktor groans, his hand tightening briefly around Yuuri, before he leans up and catches Yuuri's lips in a hot kiss, drinking in his taste deeply. His movements are more hurried now, stronger with desire, and Yuuri finds himself trembling from the need to touch Viktor, to make him feel just as good.

"You look so beautiful like this, though," Viktor murmurs, dragging Yuuri's bottom lip into his mouth and biting it, then kissing the flushing bruise. "I bet if I used my fingers down here..." Viktor lets go of Yuuri's hip and slides his hand down further between his legs, pressing against his entrance. Yuuri spasms in shock, throwing his head back against the pillow and crying out. Viktor's lips curl in satisfaction. "...it would make you feel good. Will you let me make you feel good, Yuuri?"

Yuuri cannot wait any longer. With a flare of his magic, he breaks the bindings and shoves at Viktor's shoulders, sitting up when Viktor falls and lands backwards on the other end of the couch. Yuuri wastes no time in straddling Viktor's hips and catching his hands, knowing that his eyes have gone red as he stares down at Viktor, whose eyes have widened with surprise.

"You can't just tease me like that," Yuuri tells him, bringing Viktor's hand to his face and turning his head to wrap his lips around two of Viktor's fingers. Viktor groans, pushing his fingers deeper into Yuuri's mouth, and Yuuri sucks on them slowly, moaning as he presses his tongue between them. He lets Viktor's fingers fall out of his mouth and licks down to his palm, sighing at his taste, thinking of all the times these hands have touched him, held him.

Viktor doesn't look away from him, letting Yuuri do as he wishes. Yuuri holds his gaze as he pays attention to the ring wrapped around Viktor's finger, tasting the gold and sighing when Viktor shudders beneath him.

After a moment, Yuuri takes Viktor's hand from his mouth and pushes it down, wrapping Viktor's wet fingers around their erections, closing both their hands in a fist. Viktor reaches for him with his free hand, pressing his fingers to the small of Yuuri's back. Yuuri rocks back into his hand, then fixes Viktor with a hot, burning stare, tightening their hands together.

"If you want to make me feel good, then do it properly," he whispers, letting go of Viktor's hand and reaching up to grip Viktor's waist. He thrusts forward into the loose circle of Viktor's fingers, his cock dragging deliciously against Viktor's for a moment, and they both gasp, Viktor arching beneath him.

"Yuuri," Viktor moans, tightening his hand around both of them, and Yuuri rewards him by leaning down to kiss him. He catches Viktor's sighs with his lips and tucks them inside his heart, wanting to remember this moment forever, the sound of Viktor lost in pleasure.

Every slide of their hips together builds the fire between them. Yuuri can feel their orgasms approaching now, but he holds off as long as he can, wanting Viktor to come first. Beneath him, Viktor's desire shapes into determination, refusing to let Yuuri win at their little game, and Yuuri can't help but grin.

Every time he thrusts into Viktor's hand, Yuuri dips his tongue into Viktor's mouth teasingly, making sure to keep the kiss shallow. He wants to distract Viktor so thoroughly that Viktor's orgasm will overtake him without Yuuri ever saying a word. Viktor catches onto his intentions quickly, but rather than fight back, he melts into Yuuri's kisses, calling his name.

That makes Yuuri lose concentration, too. He loves how much Viktor responds to him.

Too quickly, Viktor approaches that sweet heat of release, and he cries out and pulls Yuuri close, thrusting up into his hand. Yuuri gasps as Viktor's hips lift them both off the couch, realizing they are both trembling with want, and in a sudden moment of clarity, he knows what Viktor needs.

"Good, you're so good, Viktor," Yuuri whispers, dragging his lips down to Viktor's neck and sucking a hot mark into the pale skin. "So perfect, so lovely..."

"Yuuri," Viktor sobs, and then he falls apart, curling into Yuuri as his body wracks with waves of pleasure. The sweet scent of his release fills the air, the sexual energy surrounding Yuuri's senses and drowning him in pleasure. A moment later, Yuuri throws his head back and comes as well, spilling over Viktor's hand, the gold ring glinting.

Slowly Yuuri sinks down to rest against Viktor, his cheek resting on Viktor's chest. Viktor stays silent, catching his breath while running his fingers over Yuuri's back, tracing the bare skin where his wings would exist. Absently Yuuri draws a hand through their combined mess and licks it off his finger, shuddering a little at the taste.

Him and Viktor.

Viktor groans a little, and Yuuri looks up to see Viktor watching him, his eyes dark with lingering lust. "Yuuri, I don't have the energy for more right now. You shouldn't tempt me."

Yuuri smiles softly, his cheeks warming. "Was that okay? I mean, all of it..."

Viktor touches a finger to Yuuri's cheek, drawing him up for a kiss. Yuuri leans into his warmth, sighing. "That was perfect, Yuuri."

"Good... I mean, I always got high scores on my techniques in school, but... it's different, sharing it with someone I care about," Yuuri says, a little shy, and Viktor's replying smile is just as sweet. 

"Scores on sexual acts," Viktor chuckles, making Yuuri roll his eyes.

"Yes, scores. I was always best in fellatio and anal sex," he says with a little bit of pride, and Viktor's eyes go dark again. Yuuri realizes that Viktor is thinking back to that morning, and he flushes pink.

"I can't wait for you to show me everything," Viktor whispers, catching his lips in another kiss. Yuuri leans into him, closing his eyes in relief. He never thought sex would feel so good, until he met Viktor... but he is happy that Viktor is proving him wrong.

After a while, they separate and withdraw to the bathroom, taking turns rinsing off and showering. Yuuri lets himself look at Viktor, noticing the little marks he left on Viktor's chest and neck, and he notices Viktor looking as well. Yuuri lingers while Viktor showers, watching his figure through the curtain and debating joining him. It's nice, though, just sharing the space with him.

Every moment with Viktor seems more comfortable, the more Yuuri accepts this change to their feelings. He can't imagine being happier than this.

~*~

Later, after dinner, Viktor steers Yuuri toward his redecorated bedroom. "Early to bed, darling. It's back to training tomorrow! You still have a competition to win!"

"Viktor," Yuuri whines, but he lets Viktor shuffle him into his room. In the doorway, Viktor hesitates, his gaze briefly going to Yuuri's bed, before he leans over to kiss Yuuri good night.

"Sleep well, my sleeping beauty," Viktor whispers, smiling at him before retiring to his own room. Yuuri watches him go with a faint ache in his heart.

He changes slowly, pulling on a pair of shorts and a shirt, looking at his big bed and thinking it looks empty. With a small sigh, Yuuri slips under the covers and curls up, turning the lamps off with a little snap of his fingers, leaving the glow from the city as the only light in the room.

Sleep does not come to him. Yuuri keeps rolling over, aware that something is missing but unwilling to give in. He and Viktor just got engaged. They can sleep separately for a while and build themselves up to sharing a bed. He can wait.

Ten minutes of restless shifting later, Yuuri sits up, determined.

He can't wait.

Pillow in hand, Yuuri slides out of bed and steps silently across the floor, thinking of what he should say to Viktor. Should he knock? Should he open the door and slip in? Should he ask? Would Viktor even want him there? Deep in thought, he pulls open his door and nearly walks into Viktor himself.

Blinking a few times, Yuuri looks up and stares. Viktor is standing outside his door, holding a pillow under one arm and staring at Yuuri wide-eyed, caught mid-movement with his hand poised to knock on Yuuri's door. Yuuri glances down at Viktor's pillow, then up at his sheepish expression. Then he has to cover his face with his own pillow, his shoulders shaking with amusement.

Viktor pouts, and when he whines Yuuri's name in a long note, Yuuri can't help but laugh. _Only us,_ he thinks fondly, before he catches Viktor's hand and steps backwards, drawing Viktor to his bed and sitting down, holding the blankets back invitingly.

"Sleep with me tonight?" Yuuri asks in the darkened quiet, and Viktor's eyes soften impossibly.

"I'd love to, Yuuri."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your wonderful support and comments! Also, shoutout to the BBOI discord for letting me sprint with them to get this finished!
> 
> We also have a fanart from @selkiesou of [incubus!Yuuri](https://selkiesou.tumblr.com/post/164768734670/incubusyuuri-more-wip)! Thank you!!!
> 
> Let me know what you think (*´♡`*)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** This chapter contains a scene with explicit sexual content.

Mindless in his task, Yuuri hardly hears the door, gently slicing little purple mushrooms with a small smile. The radio hums alongside his work with the notes of a gentle violin and piano piece, giving Yuuri a few extra dance moves as he turns from counter to stove to check on the soup.

"Yuuri, I'm home... oh, what's this?"

Yuuri brightens and turns to see Viktor standing in the kitchen entryway, smiling at him. "Welcome home, Viktor." He flushes a little as Viktor's gaze drops to his apron, then to the homey kitchen with delicious smells, somehow knowing what Viktor is thinking.

"I could get used to coming home to this," Viktor says after a moment, his lips quirking into a grin. "You've never cooked for me before."

"I just felt like it," Yuuri says, shrugging a bit self-consciously. Instead of going to Viktor's ice show today, he decided to visit the Underworld and go grocery shopping. "Oh, it's demon cuisine, though. I don't think any of the ingredients have magical interactions..."

Viktor hangs up his coat and crosses the room to Yuuri, wrapping his arms around Yuuri's waist from behind and resting his chin on Yuuri's shoulder. He inhales deeply and peers curiously at the soup, which is bubbling softly with vegetables. "Which ingredients?"

"Um..." Yuuri is very distracted by Viktor's warmth pressing against his back. He valiantly focuses. " _Nevros_ onions, speckled mushrooms, and a type of chili pepper I get from the fire demons that run that grocery store close to the _mara_ ward. Oh, and ice rock salt... I think that comes from Iriy, actually."

"I don't think any of that should be a problem," Viktor says, squeezing Yuuri's waist. "I can't say I've had much demon cooking outside of going to restaurants in the Underworld. I'm sure it's as varied and interesting as human cooking is."

Yuuri blinks, turning his head to look at Viktor. "Oh, well, of co--" His last word is muffled by a kiss as Viktor surprises him, and Yuuri warms a little, returning the soft kiss before looking back at the soup, blushing. "I mean... um..." He can't think about anything but Viktor's lips, and he needs to be cooking.

He can feel Viktor's wide smile against his neck. "Hmm?"

Viktor isn't _fair._ "O-of course it has a lot of variety. But it all tastes good. My parents serve a lot of different types of food to our demon visitors, since not all of them are Japanese, so... I kind of grew up on fusion cooking. This is really simple..."

Viktor chuckles softly. "I'm sure it will be excellent. I look forward to it, Yuuri." He kisses the skin beneath Yuuri's ear and retreats to go change, and Yuuri uses the opportunity to cover his heated face with his hands. Sometimes Viktor overwhelms him with such simple intimacy, and Yuuri _loves_ it, as much as he doesn't know how to handle it.

With a sigh, Yuuri goes to fetch his mushrooms to sauté them. As he cooks, a small smile plays on his lips, and he reaches up to where Viktor kissed his neck, the spot where his scent is strongest.

To Yuuri's delight, Viktor _loves_ the food. He eats every bite and asks Yuuri all sorts of questions about the ingredients. For once, Yuuri gets to be the expert, teaching Viktor about all sorts of cooking methods and foods that he grew up knowing from the Underworld. Viktor soaks up the knowledge with fascination, and privately, Yuuri vows to cook more meals for him like this, to show him the sides of the Underworld that Viktor never got to know because of his family.

Thinking of Viktor's family makes him nervous. In only a few days, Yuuri will meet the Velenos clan, as Viktor will introduce him as his intended. The upcoming meeting both excites him and worries him, because of how stressed out Viktor has become since they left the Underworld together.

Hence Yuuri surprising him with a home-cooked meal. He wants to distract Viktor from his worrying for a little while.

"It must have been interesting, growing up in the human world," Viktor says, pouring them both another glass of wine after the plates have been cleared away. Yuuri catches a drop of wine as it drips down the side of his glass and licks it off his thumb, noticing Viktor's sudden interest and smiling a little.

"We had a lot of different guests over the years," Yuuri says, chuckling. "Once, we made a meal for a visiting _tengu_ , and my sister brought it to the wrong room. She gave it to a human."

"Oh no!" Viktor gasps.

Yuuri laughs. "Right? It almost cursed them. But we found someone to purify the human in time, so we didn't get in trouble."

"I can't imagine," Viktor says blithely, as if he hasn't single-handedly caused chaos by infusing human ice machines with his magic. Yuuri raises an eyebrow, reaching over to tap Viktor's hand pointedly, and Viktor's expression turns sheepish. "That's different, though."

"Not that different," Yuuri says dryly, making Viktor laugh.

"I'd like to try more of your cooking, Yuuri. And I'd like to help," Viktor muses, glancing back at the kitchen. Two of the _nevros_ onions are still sitting on the counter, beside a bag of potatoes. "Perhaps... we could go shopping together next time we cook? I'd like to browse a demon grocery properly."

"Really?" Yuuri says before he can stop himself, surprised and pleased. "I mean, I'd love to! Though... are you okay with going to the Underworld more often?"

Viktor is silent for a moment, touching his wine glass to his lips. His other hand turns to entwine with Yuuri's fingers, his thoughts a little nervous, but then he meets Yuuri's eyes and smiles. "I think I am. It is my home, after all. Seeing you so comfortable with demon life has made me realize that I should also be comfortable with it... especially if I am to become head of my family. I can't play around in the Overworld forever."

Yuuri squeezes Viktor's fingers reassuringly. "Good... that's good, Viktor. I'll show you everything."

"I look forward to it," Viktor says, setting down his glass and leaning over for a kiss. Yuuri sighs, kissing him softly in return, relishing the sweet touch for a long moment.

It still amazes him how much their relationship has changed. How _full_ he feels now, all the time, from Viktor's energy. What he has received through their sexual intimacy far outstrips the ice drinks that Viktor would make for him... though Yuuri still enjoys those, too, simply because it's Viktor's energy. Being full on sexual energy, though...

Yuuri has never felt like this. Sometimes he feels like he could fly, like he could perform every bit of magic he ever learned with only a wave of his hand. Viktor is more than happy to be intimate with him, too. He has even suggested teaching Yuuri control of his magic, especially now that his magic is unsettled from the loss of his contract with Lilia and the _mara._

Just like Lilia told them, Yuuri's magic has been unstable since the contract was released. Sometimes his spells don't work, and sometimes they become overpowered. His glamours occasionally slip; Viktor has had to step in a few times at the rink and fix Yuuri's glamours while they trained. Slowly, his magic has gotten easier to handle since the contract was broken a few weeks ago, but Yuuri still feels rattled.

Viktor suspects it will take months for his magic to settle properly, since the contract was part of him for so long. Yuuri is glad, at least, that Viktor is at his side during all this; he doesn't know what he would have done if he was alone.

He only wishes he could show Viktor how much it means to him, for Viktor to be with him like this.

"I love you," Yuuri blurts as he pulls away. He looks down at the table as his face floods with heat, knowing Viktor is staring at him. "I know those words aren't enough to show you how much you mean to me, but --"

He is cut off when Viktor leans across the table to cover his lips with a finger, a warm look in his eyes. Yuuri's face flushes more as he catches some of Viktor's thoughts, watching as Viktor stands and approaches him. He doesn't look away from Viktor as he approaches, held captive by the expression on his face. The devotion Viktor feels for him... it astonishes Yuuri, sometimes. He still doesn't know how he got to be so lucky.

Viktor stops in front of him, catching Yuuri's hands and leaning in to touch their foreheads together. Yuuri melts a little, tilting his face up in time for Viktor to kiss him. The kiss is unhurried and sweet, though soon it deepens, as Viktor opens up for Yuuri, making them both shudder. A moment later, Yuuri's knees go weak as Viktor picks him up by the hips and sets him on the table, rattling the glasses. Yuuri melts into his arms as Viktor kisses him again, shivering as Viktor fits so neatly between his thighs, pressing against all the right places. Yuuri cannot help a low moan, before Viktor leans down to kiss his neck, his hand dragging down Yuuri's side.

"I love you more than life itself," Viktor whispers, making an ache blossom in Yuuri's chest. "More than ice, more than everything --"

"Viktor," Yuuri whimpers, as Viktor bites down on his shoulder, "what about dessert?"

"I'd rather eat you," Viktor says, and Yuuri can _feel_ his smile. The heat of it goes straight through him.

"That should be my line," Yuuri says weakly, looking down as Viktor draws back, his eyes glittering with something wonderful. Viktor catches Yuuri's face in his hands and kisses him once more, longer this time, until all Yuuri can think about is Viktor's tongue and his scent surrounding him.

Eventually, though, Viktor lets him go, though he remains close, running his fingers over Yuuri's sides. Yuuri smiles softly, helplessly drawing his fingers through Viktor's hair, unable to look away from him. "Dinner was fantastic," Viktor murmurs, smiling as Yuuri meets his eyes. "Forgive my spontaneity... I cannot resist you when you say such words of love, Yuuri."

Heat floods Yuuri's face again, but there is a soft blush touching Viktor's cheeks, too, so he does not feel alone in his happiness. "You're forgiven," Yuuri manages, then hooks his knee around Viktor's hip and pulls him in again, his fingers clenching in Viktor's shirt, no doubt wrinkling it. "Now weren't you doing something?"

"So cheeky," Viktor whispers, his smile widening, before he leans in to kiss Yuuri again. Yuuri doesn't stop kissing him until that smile has melted into a moan, low and needy.

He could get used to this kind of life.

~*~

Yuuri can't stop fidgeting. Compared to his nervous energy, Viktor stands completely still, staring out the window at the icy world outside. Yuuri reaches up to smooth his hands over his outfit, the same glittering clothing that Viktor bought for him for his last meeting with Lilia. All of his human glamours are gone; now Yuuri looks every inch an incubus, his horns gleaming in his styled hair. Yuuri even has his wings out, neatly folded behind his back. Viktor matches him in his elegance, his clothing stiff and formal.

The ancestral home of the Velenos clan is a castle. Somehow, Yuuri had not known this, despite hours of Viktor lecturing him about the Iriy realm, the different Velenos subclans, the Velenos clan leader, and enough family history for Yuuri not to make a fool of himself. The castle is massive, too, the grounds sprawling every which way in the snowy world outside, which is not as full of ice and bitter cold as Yuuri had initially expected. Even in this frozen realm, plants and animals still thrive, enriching the ice landscape filled with mountains, forests, and crystalline structures in dazzling colors.

The Iriy realm's beauty takes Yuuri's breath away whenever he looks at it. Unfortunately, he is too nervous to pay much attention right now. Mostly, he is focused on Viktor, whose tension seeps into every corner of the room, almost stifling in its intensity.

At last, Yuuri cannot stand it any longer. He steps closer to Viktor and reaches out to take his hand, watching the stiff line of his shoulders until, in tiny increments, Viktor begins to relax. He can feel the blizzard of Viktor's emotions beneath his skin, threatening to drag him under, but Yuuri merely waits, giving Viktor the support he needs.

Viktor sighs softly after a moment, leaning into Yuuri's side. Yuuri smiles a little and kisses his cheek. "Usually I'm the anxious one," Yuuri says quietly, and Viktor chuckles under his breath, relaxing more.

"I'm sorry, Yuuri. Being here is... difficult. Everywhere I look, I see memories of a life that I could never enjoy."

Yuuri reflects on that for a moment, his lips thinning with discomfort. He doesn't like how Viktor suffered here, how Viktor holds himself to such strict rules. He doesn't think this place makes Viktor happy, but Viktor has no choice but to come here, for his own future and heritage.

Yuuri doesn't have to like it, though.

"Do not worry so, my love," Viktor says, turning to kiss Yuuri's temple. He shifts slightly when a knock sounds at the door a moment later, and they both turn as Viktor calls out for the person to enter.

A tall ice demon steps inside and bows low. "My lord, Vel Moroz will see you now."

"Very well," Viktor says, walking out to the hallway and drawing Yuuri alongside him. Yuuri glances briefly up at the ice demon, noting his servant clothing, and gets a narrow-eyed stare in response. Yuuri raises a cool eyebrow, then turns his head away to admire the beautiful palace, keeping his fingers entwined with Viktor's.

The servant leads them to a massive pair of doors made completely of intricately carved crystal. Yuuri can feel the cold radiating from them, and he notices how Viktor tightens his grip on his hand, though his expression remains placid. Yuuri takes a deep breath, then releases it as the doors open.

The palace court room is just as massive as the doors reflect, arching up several stories with beautiful ice chandeliers, stained glass windows, and shining lights, reflecting tiny rainbows across the floor and walls. Yuuri keeps himself from gaping, but he could easily lose himself in this place. The floor is wide and expansive, with a path leading up to a dais where a large chair made of the same crystal as the doors sits. Several long pews are arranged on either side of the path, facing the dais, and they are filled with ice demons of all ages and types.

More chairs encircle the dais, filled with many older ice demons, all of whom are staring at Yuuri and Viktor closely, many of them with undisguised contempt. These demons are the clan advisors, often heads of the sub clans and families. None of them seem happy to see Viktor and Yuuri.

In the central chair sits another tall figure with a crown of delicate trailing ice on his head, wrapped in intricate white robes. Yuuri has heard of this man, and he knows who he is: Vel Moroz, Viktor's clan leader. Vel Moroz seems much older than the rest of the ice demons watching them, with a long white beard and thin, bony fingers. His pale blue eyes meet Yuuri's briefly, before they move past him to Viktor.

The hall is silent as Viktor and Yuuri come to a stop at the edge of the dais. Viktor gives a tiny little smile, squeezes Yuuri's hand, then lets him go. He sweeps into a low bow, and Yuuri copies him, lowering his wings in brief submission. When he straightens, Vel Moroz is staring at him again, and Viktor has a smile fixed on his face.

Yet when Viktor looks at Yuuri, his face softens into genuine warmth.

"My lord," Viktor says, his voice ringing through the room, "may I present my intended, Katsuki Yuuri." Viktor takes Yuuri's hand once more, raising it to kiss his fingers, and Yuuri softens a little, smiling up at Viktor. No one says anything until Vel Moroz leans forward.

"Viktor, this is an incubus."

"He is, yes," Viktor replies, a small edge to his voice. He doesn't look away from Yuuri, and despite the hatred focused at him, Yuuri finds himself relaxing. With Viktor's support, he can handle this.

"You must be joking," says a voice to the right, as one of the advisors climbs to his feet. "How dare you, boy! Bringing that, that filth here and parading it around, like --"

"I'll thank you not to speak that way about my beloved," Viktor says sharply, turning a glare onto the advisor. The old man sinks into his chair, cowed, but another stands in his place.

"You cannot mate an incubus," she warbles, and her sentiment is echoed by several of the other advisors. Behind Yuuri and Viktor, the audience has erupted into shocked whispers. All the while, Vel Moroz stares at Yuuri, his pale eyes narrowed in consideration.

Viktor tries a few times to quell the arguing advisors. Yuuri stays silent, not minding the insults that wash over him, having heard far worse in his youth. He winces slightly when the clamor gets louder.

"Enough!" shouts one of the younger advisors, her pale eyes flashing. "We have brought several possible mates for you today, young Viktor. You will find your match in them, I am sure of it."

"Except I have found my match already," Viktor says, his voice booming through the room and cutting into the din, until each of the ice demons fall silent. Viktor lifts Yuuri's hand again, showing off the ring he put on Yuuri's finger. "My choice is Yuuri. I will see none of your so-called choices for my future. You asked me to find a mate, and I have."

"You also promised to produce an heir," warbles the first advisor, having found his second wind. "That was the agreement. This family must have an heir."

"Doesn't it already?" Viktor asks, a smirk curling on his lips.

"Enough," says a quiet voice from the center of the room, and the crowd hushes. Vel Moroz leans forward in his chair, his gaze shifting from Yuuri to Viktor. "You are my heir, boy. You must have an heir as well when the family magic moves to you. It will be soon," he wheezes. Yuuri stares at the old man, his eyes widening as he inhales softly in realization. Vel Moroz has almost no magic within him. Does Viktor realize? "You have already taken much of my magic. You will become leader soon, Viktor. Will you not see reason? This incubus cannot give you an heir."

Viktor does not seem impressed. "Would you have me live a lie, my lord? I have found my other half. Yuuri is my soulmate and the love of my life. As for an heir, you do not need me to create one, do you? Since you already have one chosen."

The advisors erupt into protest again, but Vel Moroz leans back in his chair, suddenly looking very tired. "You know, then," Vel Moroz says, lifting a hand to silence his advisors.

Viktor smiles bitterly. "I know. Yuri Plisetsky, step forward."

The hall rings silent for a moment, before the boy who broke into Lilia's office stands up from the audience, looking furious. When Yuri Plisetsky opens his mouth to speak, Viktor holds up a hand, hushing him with only a look.

"Do not think that your activities will ever escape my notice," Viktor says coldly, looking upon the different advisors. "I know you have been training young Yuri to take my place. You have taken him from his family, like you did me. You have taught him the clan spells, like you did me. You hope to get rid of me and put young Yuri in my place, thinking him more malleable. Go ahead, tell me I am wrong."

None of the advisors, nor anyone in the audience, dare to say anything to him. Viktor turns his judging stare to Vel Moroz, then sighs deeply and shakes his head. For a moment, he looks very sad; then the expression fades away. Yuuri glances up at him, then squeezes his hand. Viktor draws in a silent breath, gives Yuuri a small smile, and looks at Vel Moroz again.

"I will marry Yuuri. I will court him, then I will mate with him, and he will stand beside me when I take control of this clan. At that time, I will formally accept Yuri Plisetsky as my heir." Viktor waits as whispers erupt all over the room, then holds up his hand. Just as with Vel Moroz, the entire room hushes. "With conditions, of course," Viktor says with a smile. "As soon as this meeting ends, you will release Yuri Plisetsky into my custody, and none of you will harass him or bully him into doing your will. I will decide his education from now on. He is under my protection. Is that clear?"

Viktor's voice rings out across the room, and still, no one says anything, perhaps too cowed, perhaps finally unwilling to stand against him. Yuuri breathes in deeply, filled with pride and worry for Viktor, who stands tall without looking down. Yuuri tightens his grip on Viktor's hand and steps up beside him, ready to support him if anyone tries to argue.

"Very well," whispers Vel Moroz, glancing at Yuuri again. Behind them, Yuri gasps in shock. "Your union has my blessing."

Viktor breathes in softly, then bows his head. "You have my gratitude, my lord."

Yuuri holds his hand, feeling the swirl of emotion beneath Viktor's calm exterior, and worries.

~*~

Hours later, Viktor and Yuuri finally escape the clan meeting. As if sensing the opportunity to pounce, the advisors had pulled Viktor into several discussions on trade agreements, politics, and other nonsense that bored Yuuri within minutes. He spent the time sitting beside Yuri, who eyed him suspiciously but otherwise stayed quiet, his attention mostly on the people arguing around the dais. In the end, Viktor made several decisions that not many people liked, but Yuuri thought they were rather intuitive and sounded like good ideas. Once the meeting ended, they were free to go.

Viktor lingers, though, his gaze on the patriarch of his family. Vel Moroz had spent much of the meeting in silence, as Viktor took charge for the first time in five years. When Vel Moroz finally leaves the room, followed quickly by the rest of the clan, Viktor goes to stand in front of the throne, staring at it with an empty gaze.

Yuuri approaches him and touches a hand to his back, and Viktor breathes in shakily. "Okay?" Yuuri whispers, and Viktor nods, then turns to look at the only person remaining in the room.

Yuri Plisetsky glares back, his young face twisted in anxiety and irritation. "What the hell was that?"

Viktor puts on a smile. "What do you mean?"

Yuri glares. "That bullshit you fed to Vel Moroz. Making me your heir."

Viktor is silent for a long moment. "Once, when I was young, I was in your place. I was taken from my mother and father and forced to learn spell upon spell, all in the name of this clan. I had no life, and I was miserable. I'm sure you've heard a few of the stories." Yuri nods slowly, cautious, and Viktor smiles emptily. "I cannot let them do that to another child. I am sorry for how they have treated you. You have my full permission to return to your mother and grandfather, and to live your life however you wish. In time, we will discuss your duties as heir, but for now, I would rather you enjoy your life."

Yuri looks shocked. "Really?" he whispers after a moment, suddenly looking as young and vulnerable as Yuuri first thought of him. The bravado is gone, replaced by hope.

Viktor's smile widens into something more real. "Yes. If anyone bothers you, find me immediately. I live in the Overworld in St. Petersburg."

"Yeah, okay," Yuri says quickly, bowing once before grinning. "Thanks, Viktor!" He turns on his heel and runs out the door excitedly, and Viktor sighs deeply, his shoulders sinking. Yuuri doesn't hesitate to take his hand again.

"Let's go home, Viktor," Yuuri says quietly. He has spoken very little today, choosing to let Viktor lead the meeting, but he can't keep quiet when he sees how upset Viktor is. After a moment, Viktor nods.

"Yes, let's go."

They arrive in their apartment with a faint flash of light, the spell circle on the floor slowly returning to normal. Yuuri draws Viktor down the hallway, passing his own room and pushing Viktor's door open. Once inside, he gently pushes Viktor to sit on the bed.

Viktor follows his lead mindlessly, his expression distant. His thoughts are a whirlwind beneath Yuuri's fingers, the struggle to contain his emotions bringing everything to the surface. Yuuri can sense fear, anger, sorrow, and pain -- a pain so deep that he wonders if Viktor has been ignoring it for years, to keep himself strong.

His jaw jumps in irritation. Damn the people who hurt Viktor like this.

Yuuri pushes the anger away and focuses on Viktor. He reaches up to the enamel clasp holding Viktor's cloak up and gently unhooks it, pushing the thick fabric off Viktor's shoulders, so it can pool around his hips. Viktor glances up at him, and Yuuri meets his eyes briefly, holding his stare for a long moment before he reaches for Viktor's hands.

Viktor stays docile, letting Yuuri tug his gloves off. As each piece of clothing comes off, the tension in Viktor's tall form begins to seep away. After Yuuri unbuttons Viktor's jacket and pulls it off for him, hanging it over the chair against the wall, he kneels at Viktor's feet and begins to unlace Viktor's boots.

"Yuuri," Viktor murmurs. Instead of protesting, he reaches down to draw his bare fingers along Yuuri's cheek, brushing his hair from his eyes. Yuuri glances up, a faint smile touching his lips, then turns his head to kiss Viktor's fingers. Then he focuses on what he is doing.

After unlacing the boots, then sliding them off Viktor's feet, he carefully sets them beside the closet door so that Viktor can put them away properly. Once that is done, Yuuri follows with Viktor's socks, tossing them into the laundry. Then he rises up to unbutton Viktor's shirt. When his fingers undo the last button, Viktor catches his wrists and pulls him up.

Yuuri goes to him willingly, wrapping his arms around Viktor's neck and leaning in to breathe his scent. The tension has all but drained out of him, and he sighs into Yuuri's neck, his breath washing over Yuuri's scent glands. Beneath Yuuri's touch, the buzz of Viktor's mind has calmed to something more serene.

"Yuuri," Viktor says again, sounding lost.

Yuuri hates how much Viktor is still hurting. He climbs up into Viktor's lap and settles his knees on either side of Viktor's hips, wrapping Viktor in his arms and holding him close. Viktor goes stiff for a second before he melts into Yuuri's embrace, sliding his hands up Yuuri's back and clenching his hands in the silken fabric of his clothing.

"You were amazing," Yuuri whispers, his lips brushing Viktor's forehead. "You did so well, Viktor. It's done now, and you won. We won."

He hears a choked sob the same moment something wet touches his neck, and every part of Yuuri _aches_ with the realization that Viktor is crying. He tightens his arms around Viktor, wanting to hide him away from the world.

"I hate them," Viktor says once, low and harsh and sad, then never says another word. His grief and rage pour out of him though, filling Yuuri with desperation to protect Viktor, to make him happy as no one else has ever done before.

"I've got you," Yuuri whispers, leaving a kiss on Viktor's forehead. In response, Viktor only hugs him tighter.

Viktor's need to be close to Yuuri is palpable in the way he clutches at Yuuri, pressing in close to his neck. Yuuri is happy to give him that, glad that his presence is enough to fulfill a need in Viktor that his beloved has long denied. 

Yuuri pulls back enough to look at Viktor's face, gently tipping his head up. For a moment, Viktor resists looking at him, until Yuuri brushes the damp skin under his eyes with his thumbs, and he flicks his gaze up to meet Yuuri's eyes.

Yuuri leans in and kisses where his thumbs left warmth, following the trails of Viktor's tears with his tongue, until at last, he can kiss Viktor on the lips. Viktor immediately opens up for him, letting Yuuri slide his tongue deep inside.

The kiss grows heated. Viktor's hands stay on Yuuri's back for a few moments, then drop down to his thighs, gripping them tightly. Yuuri moves his hips up slowly, undulating against Viktor until he is gasping into Yuuri's mouth.

"I want to take care of you tonight," Yuuri whispers, pressing kiss after kiss to Viktor's cheeks, to his neck. Viktor's grip turns bruising on his legs, then gentles.

"Make me forget them," Viktor says, low and desperate. Yuuri responds by pressing his hands to Viktor's chest and pushing him down to the bed, his and Viktor's clothes melting from their body and leaving them completely nude. He spreads his wings over Viktor, his eyes glowing as Viktor's scent flares with lust and love.

"Yuuri," Viktor whispers, reaching up to him. Yuuri smiles softly and leans down to meet him.

Viktor wants to be consumed, and Yuuri has waited long enough to be with him, to _have_ him. He has ached for Viktor for _months_ , and now he has Viktor in his arms; he is no longer afraid of loving him, of possessing him so thoroughly with his desire. Courting and mating will follow -- but their traditions do not require _mara_ to remain celibate.

"They can't have you," Yuuri murmurs, enjoying the way Viktor shudders. "You belong to me. Your heart..." He touches Viktor's chest, then drags his finger down his bare skin along his stomach, before burying his fingers in the pale hair crowning Viktor's cock. "Your soul. Your future. All of it belongs to me. They can't hurt you any longer."

"Yuuri, please..." The way Viktor reaches for him, trembling with need, as his cock rises from the arch of his body, makes Yuuri go hot with desire. He knows how much Viktor loves him, and Yuuri wants badly to show Viktor his love in return.

He follows the path of his finger with his lips, sucking little marks into Viktor's pale skin, until he can press his nose into the pale curls below. Viktor's scent nearly overwhelms him, but Yuuri does not hesitate, glancing up as he turns his head to lather a wet kiss to the base of Viktor's cock.

Viktor groans, his eyes never leaving Yuuri's face. Yuuri hides a smile as Viktor's energy flares, his eyes flashing. He licks his way up Viktor's thick length, then gathers the fluid leaking from the head of his cock with his tongue, swallowing it gladly. He moans, and Viktor moans with him, reaching down to run his fingers through Yuuri's hair.

Yuuri opens his mouth and wraps his lips around Viktor's cock. The grip in his hair goes tight, before Viktor realizes what he is doing.

"Ahh, Yuuri, I'm sorry, I didn't mean --"

Yuuri responds by swallowing Viktor down his throat. Viktor's words are lost in a shout, and the brutal grip in his hair returns. Yuuri doesn't often like pain, but he loves that Viktor is already lost in pleasure like this. So needy, so desperate for _Yuuri_ , and Yuuri wants nothing more than to give him the world.

Viktor lets out a faint sob as he catches Yuuri's possessive thoughts, his own thoughts passing too quickly for Yuuri to sense. Yuuri doesn't mind, happy to turn his attention to pleasuring Viktor. He curls his hand and thinks of a brief spell, making a small jar appear in his palm, as he slowly draws his mouth up Viktor's cock, sucking on him with gentleness.

Viktor is moaning now, little noises that incite Yuuri and make him want to kiss that mouth. He wants to tell Viktor how good he is being, how beautiful he is, how amazing he was today. He wants to shower Viktor in praise and make him understand how much Yuuri admires him, how strong he is.

Yuuri glances up again as he runs his tongue along the vein pulsing on the underside of Viktor's cock. Viktor is gazing at him, tears trickling from his eyes, which alarms Yuuri enough that he starts to move back. Viktor gently but firmly holds Yuuri in place, shaking his head as he senses Yuuri's intent.

"Make me yours," Viktor whispers. "Make me feel you everywhere, Yuuri."

Yuuri shudders at the command, holding Viktor's gaze as he pulls Viktor in deeper. He sets up a steady rhythm of sucking and bobbing his head in slow strokes. He can feel Viktor's orgasm building, but Yuuri makes sure not to go too fast, wanting to drag out the pleasure.

As he works his lips and tongue, Yuuri opens the little jar in his hand and dips his fingers in, then gently nudges Viktor's knees up. At the first touch of Yuuri's fingers to his entrance, Viktor throws his head back with a groan, spreading his legs easily.

"Yes," Viktor moans, and Yuuri rewards him by slipping a finger inside him.

A little bit of magic and lube makes the stretch easy. Above all else, Yuuri wants Viktor to feel good. He moves his finger in time with his lips, pressing into Viktor as he moves his head down and sucks a little harder. As Yuuri lifts his head, softly licking the silky tip, Viktor shudders beneath him, unable to stop himself from combing his fingers through Yuuri's hair, over and over.

"Yuuri, please," Viktor moans, thrusting his hips upward. Yuuri moves with him, unbothered that Viktor cannot help his body's impulses, and catches the spurt of leaking liquid with his tongue, loving the taste. As he moves his lips back down, he presses two fingers into Viktor this time, sinking into his heat and searching for the little gland that will make Viktor sees stars.

He knows he has found it when Viktor shouts his name, his grip tightening on Yuuri's hair. Viktor begins to thrust upwards, and Yuuri lets his throat go lax so that Viktor can ride on his pleasure, torn between sliding into Yuuri's hot, wet mouth or pressing down on Yuuri's fingers inside him.

Yuuri shudders and lifts his gaze to watch Viktor's face as his climax nears. Viktor meets his eyes, and the image of Yuuri between his legs, mouth stretched around his cock with his eyes gleaming with energy, sends him over the edge.

Yuuri groans as the first pulse of Viktor's pleasure hits the back of his throat, swallowing gladly. He keeps rubbing with his fingers until he drinks the last bit of come, then gently slides his fingers out and lifts his head, licking up Viktor's softening cock to clean him gently. Viktor cries out at the feeling, making Yuuri's blood run hot.

 _My love_ , Yuuri thinks, and Viktor shudders beneath him.

"Yours, Yuuri, all yours," Viktor moans. He sits up halfway and pulls Yuuri up for a kiss, stealing the jar out of his hand as he distracts Yuuri with his mouth. Yuuri's body goes taught a moment later when Viktor's slick hand wraps around his aching length, moaning and breaking the kiss to hide his face in Viktor's shoulder.

"All the way?" Yuuri asks weakly, his hips shuddering as Viktor strokes him.

Viktor responds by lying back and spreading his legs, holding Yuuri's gaze with intent, his hair spilling across the sheets. He looks absolutely lovely like that, and Yuuri cannot resist him any longer. He lines himself up, then begins to push inside, holding Viktor's gaze as they finally unite.

Viktor is _hot_ inside, despite the ice burning in his veins and the cool air in the room. Yuuri groans low in his throat as he presses inside, looking down to watch his cock disappear into Viktor's body. He has had sex before, so many times; he has topped and bottomed and given everything to his lovers, yet nothing compares to becoming one with Viktor like this.

Viktor reaches up to him and pulls Yuuri down into his arms, drawing him in deep, and Yuuri lets himself go. He doesn't think any longer; he merely lets his body move as Viktor needs, raising his head to kiss Viktor deeply. Their love burns between them, echoed in the way Viktor gasps Yuuri's name, in the way Yuuri trembles as he slides deep into Viktor.

This is what he has always wanted. To be loved, to be adored... and to adore his beloved. To give Viktor everything, and to be given everything. No matter what the future brings, _this_ is what Yuuri will hold precious in his heart: the way Viktor whispers love against his lips, the way he never lets Yuuri go, the way he braves everything he fears to keep Yuuri at his side.

He follows the tide of emotion and buries himself deep inside Viktor, washing everything away.

Afterwards, Yuuri lies against Viktor's chest, listening to the beat of his heart as they slowly calm down together. Viktor is barely holding onto consciousness, already half lost to the world of slumber. His pale eyelashes keep fluttering, as if he wants to continue looking at Yuuri but can't stop falling asleep. Yuuri finds the vision charming.

"Sleep, Viktor," Yuuri murmurs, leaning up to kiss Viktor's forehead. Viktor mumbles his name and drifts away.

For a long while afterward, Yuuri watches Viktor as he sleeps, caught by the certainty that he will do anything to keep Viktor at his side -- even if it turns the world against them.

~*~

Viktor wakes Yuuri the next morning with fresh _syrniki_ and a kiss that makes his toes curl.

"You were so good to me last night," Viktor murmurs, kissing Yuuri again after he takes a drink of tea. They are sitting in bed together, and Viktor can't keep his hands off Yuuri, which is impeding his ability to eat his breakfast. Yuuri doesn't mind all that much, happy to exchange kisses with Viktor in between bites of _syrniki_ and strawberries.

"You deserved it," Yuuri says to him, resting their foreheads together for a moment. "I... um, I know we probably should have waited until we mated, because of courting and everything, but..."

"I don't mind at all, Yuuri," Viktor interrupts, tearing off a piece of pancake and dipping it in sour cream, then bringing it to Yuuri's lips. Yuuri takes the bite with a small blush. "If mating is the union of our hearts, then we have already become one. I am happy to court you however you wish to be courted. We can have a big wedding later, and we can do whatever we want with each other until then, and after. We are not confined to tradition here." Viktor winks, and Yuuri has to shake his head with a small smile.

"Incorrigible," he murmurs, taking his tea from Viktor and sipping it slowly. "I don't mind taking it slow... um, as slow as we can take it at this point. I just... last night, I wanted to take care of you, and..."

"It's alright," Viktor says more gently. His eyes are full of love, his smile bright like the sun. He looks as if the stress of yesterday never happened, which is all Yuuri can ask for. Yuuri lets himself relax, leaning into Viktor's side with a happy smile.

He still cannot believe he has this joy.

"Besides," Viktor adds with a blithe smile, "we don't need to worry about a ceremony until you win gold! Five gold medals is a good threshold for a wedding, don't you think?"

Yuuri stares blankly at him, then takes the plate of _syrniki_ away, carefully setting it on the bedside table. Then he pushes Viktor off the bed.

"Yuuuuurrriii," Viktor whines from the floor. Yuuri rolls his eyes and picks up his tea to drink again, smiling to himself as he gazes out the window and listens to Viktor complaining to Makkachin. He could get used to this kind of life.

For a little while, Viktor's behavior returns to the first few weeks of their relationship: clinging to Yuuri every time they are within arms' reach and scent-marking him as often as possible. Yuuri doesn't mind this time; in fact, he often returns the favor, nuzzling into Viktor's neck and wrists whenever they sit together on the couch or pass each other in the apartment. He loves that Viktor smells like him all the time, and that he smells like Viktor.

He can't believe he is having sex with Viktor now. It is completely unlike how Yuuri viewed sex before. The intimacy of being with him, of knowing that Viktor loves him and desires him... it fulfills him as none of his clients ever could. His clients went on with their lives; unlike them, Viktor is building a future with Yuuri. Whatever they plan to do, they will do it together. None of his past partners can compare to Viktor, because Viktor incites emotion and desire in him that he never felt before.

He loves feeling _normal._ He loves being with Viktor, so much that Yuuri is no longer as shy with him. Viktor still tends to lead their intimacy, showering Yuuri with kisses and touches, but more and more often, Yuuri has initiated touches and more. He kisses Viktor when he wants, and it feels good. It feels _right._

Two weeks after their meeting in the Underworld, Viktor and Yuuri take Makkachin out for a walk through the city. Yuuri has achieved a new goal in his skating, and Viktor has rewarded him with a day-long date in St. Petersburg. They eat out for breakfast, go window shopping, and finish the day with playing with Makkachin in the park near their apartment, talking all the while.

For a few days now, Viktor has been asking Yuuri about his family's wedding traditions. Yuuri wants to follow both his water demon ancestry and the _mara_ clan's traditions.

"My father's family has a tradition of the two getting married entering a pool of water together naked and washing each other off before the ceremony," Yuuri tells Viktor, as Makkachin roams the path ahead of them. "It's to symbolize cleansing each other of the past and beginning anew together. I'd like to do that with the pool at my parents' inn."

Yuuri waits, nerves brimming in his chest as Viktor considers it.

"The hot spring we sat in together?" Viktor clarifies, and Yuuri nods. "I like that idea. The main requirement of my clan is that we have the ceremony in Iriy, to cement my ties to the realm. There are some customs on what to wear and say, but that doesn't really matter to me. What about the _mara_?"

Yuuri breathes out, relieved and happy that Viktor has agreed to his desire. " _Mara_ weddings are more about the sex, of course," he says with a blush. Viktor winks at him, which Yuuri bravely ignores. "An exchange of fluids and a mating mark. That's all we need."

"I can provide that," Viktor says with a wide smile. Yuuri covers his face for a moment.

"Viktor," he moans into his hand, sighing as Viktor begins to laugh. Yuuri looks up when Viktor takes his hand from his face and presses a kiss into his palm, his eyes sparkling as he smiles at Yuuri.

"Anything you want, my love. We have all the time in the world. We can run away and have a wedding in a chapel in Las Vegas, if you want."

"I don't want a human wedding," Yuuri replies blandly, then lets himself smile when Viktor pouts. "We can sit down with my parents and plan a few things out, if you want. I know they'll want to be part of it."

He doesn't ask about Viktor's parents. Yuuri has never met them, and Viktor rarely sees them. He is happy enough to share his family with Viktor; he thinks Viktor deserves a place to belong, and his family is more than happy to adopt Viktor as one of their own.

Viktor lowers their hands and squeezes Yuuri's fingers. "We can meet with them after your competition, then. I'll take care of all of it, Yuuri. Everything will be perfect for you."

"I trust you," Yuuri murmurs, lifting Viktor's hand to kiss his fingers. He is rewarded with a blush, and he takes a few moments of Viktor's silence to admire him, to feel lucky that he has found this amazing person.

"Yuuri," Viktor whispers, breathless with devotion, and Yuuri smiles and leans in.

"So it's true after all. Here you are, shacking up with a whore in the human world like a common thief. Where's your pride, heir?" sneers a voice from behind them, and Yuuri jerks back to stare at the unwelcome intrusion. The same demon who approached him in the Underworld when Yuuri met with Phichit stands there, similar to Viktor in his features, but lacking the kindness Yuuri sees in Viktor's face every day. He tilts his head toward Yuuri, a smirk playing on his lips. "Does that mean any of us can have a go?"

"Ivan, what are you doing here?" Viktor asks coldly, his eyes narrowing, and through his touch, Yuuri can feel Viktor's apprehension. Nobody from Viktor's family should be bothering them.

Ivan spreads his arms, icy fog beginning to chill the summery air of the park. Luckily there are no humans nearby, but Makkachin whimpers when the cold begins to freeze the ground as well. Almost immediately, the cold sweeps away from Yuuri, Viktor, and Makkachin, as Viktor cuts a hand through the air, anger in his eyes and posture.

"Just came up to see for myself why our illustrious heir is hiding himself away. Oh, don't give me that look, Viktor," Ivan says. Yuuri tightens his hand on Viktor's fingers, focusing on remaining calm. There is no reason to pick a fight in the middle of the human world. Viktor doesn't stop glaring. "My brothers and I, we thought it'd take a special kind of _mara_ to seduce the likes of you. Our pathetic heir, hiding away from your duties like a _coward_ \--"

Ivan stops speaking then, his eyes going wide with fear, sweat visibly beading on his forehead. Yuuri feels vague confusion, then realizes why: his own magic has lashed out and captured Ivan with a visible aura of deep red, the color of his allure. 

Yuuri nearly panics, going stiff with surprise at the power infused with his magic, as unsettled and wild as it feels, fueled by his pent-up emotions. His allure has strengthened to the point that Ivan can no longer move, let alone continue to spout the drivel that has made shame and revulsion well up in Viktor's heart. A second later, Yuuri senses Viktor's alarm as he notices what Yuuri has done, his grip tightening on Yuuri's hand.

Yuuri breathes in deeply, then carefully takes control of his magic again, noticing how cold it feels; perhaps a side effect of having so much of Viktor's energy. He relaxes his hold on Ivan but doesn't quite let him go. Instead, Yuuri takes a step forward, his eyes glowing bright red. He spares a reassuring smile for Viktor, then lets go of his hand and walks over to Ivan, his smile widening.

He is very, very angry.

"You know," Yuuri begins conversationally, though the edge to his voice leaves the words cold, "I don't really mind the word 'whore,' considering I have sex for a living. I've been called all sorts of things all my life just for being born the way I am, and it doesn't bother me. However..."

He narrows his eyes into a glare, stopping in front of Ivan, who stares at him with wide eyes. The world chills around them, and not because of the magic of an ice demon. "Don't speak that way about Viktor. If you have a problem with how he lives his life, then you need to get over it. He will soon be your clan leader, and I will stand beside him, whether you like it or not. Now go away."

Yuuri steps back, releasing Ivan and turning away as Ivan falls to his knees, dismissing him. Then he pauses, tilting his head back. "Oh, don't bother any other _mara_ , either. I'll make sure they all know what kind of person you are." Then he takes Viktor's hand with shaking fingers and leads him away, Makkachin pressing into Viktor's other side. He doesn't bother looking back at Ivan, only hearing the faint crack of magic as Ivan transports himself away.

They don't speak as they walk home, and all the while, Yuuri fumes. He hates confrontation, but that... that demon had infuriated him, speaking of Viktor like that, disrespecting him. He wants to go back and say a few more words, make his point even clearer, make sure that demon goes home and tells everyone not to bother Viktor ever again --

Viktor pulls him into a kiss, and the righteous anger drains out of Yuuri. He relaxes into Viktor's arms, surprised by the fervor behind Viktor's kiss. Viktor pulls away briefly to take Yuuri's hand, kissing his fingers until they are warm again, then his lips again, and again, until Yuuri is squirming with new and interesting thoughts of taking full advantage of Viktor's passion.

Yuuri forces himself to pull away, looking up at Viktor. "I'm --"

Viktor covers his mouth with a finger. "If you say you're sorry, I'll have to kiss you again, Yuuri, and I won't be able to stop," he says softly, his gaze burning. "Thank you. Just... thank you."

Yuuri warms beneath his regard, but he is glad for it. He doesn't think Viktor has had anyone defend him before, not like that, and he will do it again and again, until everybody in the world knows not to hurt Viktor. He won't let anyone hurt Viktor ever again -- not even his family. Especially not his family.

"I can't believe I lost control of my magic like that," Yuuri whispers, panic welling up again. "What if I had hurt him? What if he says I attacked him, what if they challenge me on it --"

"You didn't do anything wrong, my love," Viktor reassures him, catching his hands and pressing kisses to them. "That family... they respect strength, and you showed him your power. He will not say such a thing, because it will make him look weak. No one will say anything, and if they do, I will tell them exactly what Ivan said. Everybody knows that _mara_ are protective of their mates. Your reaction was completely justified... and it made me very happy."

Yuuri nods slightly, slowly relaxing as he absorbs Viktor's words. He leans up to kiss Viktor softly, wanting the reassurance that Viktor is okay after someone from his family said such horrible things to him. He hates that Ivan, who had already been warned off, saw fit to stalk Viktor and antagonize him; he hopes no one else bothers them.

He hates the idea of Viktor going back to that world to face such people again. He pulls away from Viktor, the desire cementing itself in his mind.

"Viktor," Yuuri says, his eyes blazing red. "Are you certain that you want to live in that realm? We can run away together. If that place is going to cause you pain for the rest of your life, then I don't want to go there. I want you to be happy. We can stay here, you know."

Viktor stares at him for a long moment, then suddenly leans in to touch their foreheads together, his hands tightening on Yuuri's. "You honor me," he whispers. "I think... I can live anywhere, so long as you are beside me. My magic will be strongest there, and my family aside, my realm is beautiful. I would have you at my side there forever."

Yuuri swallows against the hot knot in his throat that has appeared, closing his eyes as he leans into Viktor. "Okay. As long as you're certain... as long as you'll be okay."

Viktor gives him a soft kiss. "I will, my love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, an actual update! I know it's been a while... I'm so sorry. Thank you for waiting patiently! This story is almost done... and it's been a long and wonderful ride. I'm grateful to everyone for staying with me to the end. One more chapter and we'll be done!!
> 
> Thank you to @moonbelowsea and @miss-meri for your amazing beta skills and help with this chapter. I wouldn't be here without you!!
> 
> Let me know what you think! (*´♡`*)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Fantastic Flipside](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11851833) by [lilithiumwords](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithiumwords/pseuds/lilithiumwords)




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